Mobile navigation has long become an integral part of drivers’ daily lives, but modern maps take up a colossal amount of smartphone internal memory. Installing Navitel Navigator on an external drive solves the problem of not having enough gigabytes, allowing you to free up space for photos and instant messengers. This is especially true for budget devices, where the built-in storage is often limited to 16 or 32 GB.
The procedure for transferring an application and its data is not always intuitive due to the limitations of modern versions of the operating system. Android. Starting with version 6.0, Google's security policy has tightened access rights to external media, which requires specific actions to be performed during initial setup. In this material, we will analyze all the nuances of correct installation so that your navigator works stably and quickly.
Incorrect installation can lead to the fact that the app will start, but will not see the maps, giving the error “Map files not found.” To avoid such situations and unnecessary reboots of the device, you must strictly follow the algorithm for preparing the file system and subsequent software configuration.
Preparing the memory card and file system
The first critical step is to check the status of your microSD drive. For the navigation software to work correctly, the map must be formatted in the file system FAT32 or exFAT. Many new cards are sold with NTFS markup, which standard tools Android may not recognize for recording application data.
Insert the card into your smartphone via an adapter or directly into the device slot. Go to the storage settings and check the status of the drive. If the system prompts you to format the card as "Internal Storage", be careful: this will encrypt the media and it will not be readable on other devices or the computer without a special reset.
⚠️ Attention: Formatting the card as "Internal Storage" (Adoptable Storage) may cause the application to stop working and the data to become inaccessible when the drive is removed. For the navigator, it is better to use the “Portable media” mode.
It is recommended to format via a computer to ensure compatibility. Connect the card to the PC, right-click on the disk and select "Format". In the "File system" field, make sure that the value is selected FAT32 for cards up to 32 GB or exFAT for volumes over 64 GB.
Use UHS-I speed class memory cards (U1 or U3). Slow maps (Class 4 and below) may cause delays when drawing the map while driving at high speed.
Downloading and installing the application APK file
After preparing the media, you need to obtain the app installation file. The official store Google Play often does not allow you to immediately select the installation location, so manual installation of the APK file is considered the most reliable way. Download the distribution package from the official website of the developer or a trusted source.
Before running the installer, make sure that the installation of applications from unknown sources is allowed in your smartphone's security settings. Usually this parameter is located in the section Settings → Security → Unknown sources or is requested by the system automatically when the file is first launched.
Run the downloaded file. During the installation process, the system may prompt you to select a location. If your Android supports the "Change installation location" function at the system level, select a memory card. However, in most modern shells this choice is hidden, and the application will be installed in the internal memory by default.
- 📂 Download the APK file of the latest version of Navitel Navigator.
- 🔒 Allow installation from unknown sources in the security settings.
- 📲 Run the installer and wait until it finishes process.
- 🚫 Do not launch the application immediately after installation.
Even if the system did not give you a choice, do not be upset. The basic body of the application takes up little space, and we will transfer the main weight (cards) manually. The main thing now is to successfully install the executable file in order to create the necessary system links.
Creating the correct folder structure for maps
The most important stage on which the functionality of the navigator depends is the creation of the correct directory for map files. Navitel strictly regulates the path along which it searches for data. If the folder structure is broken, the app simply will not see the downloaded maps.
Connect your smartphone to the computer in file transfer mode (MTP) or use the file manager directly on the device. Go to the root of your memory card. Here you need to create a chain of folders leading to the data storage.
/Android/data/com.navitel/files/NavitelContent/MapsIt is in the folder Maps at the end of this chain that you will need to place all map files with the extension .nm7 or .nm3. Please note that the folder com.navitel is created automatically only after the first launch of the application, but for reliability it is better to create the entire structure manually in advance.
Why this particular structure?
Starting with Android 11, access to the root of external memory for applications is limited (Scoped Storage). Placing data in the Android/data folder is the only legal way for an application to read large amounts of information without constantly asking the user for permissions.
If you are using an older version of Android (below 5.0), the path may be simpler: just create a folder NavitelContent at the root of the card, and a folder inside it Maps. However, for modern devices, maintaining the full path through Android/data is a prerequisite for stability.
Moving cache and map files to the drive
Now that the structure is ready, you need to move heavy files. If you have already downloaded maps to your internal memory, find them there. Usually they are located on the path Internal memory/NavitelContent/Maps or in the folder Downloadif you downloaded them directly.
Select all map files (they can weigh from 500 MB to several GB for entire countries) and run "Cut" operation. Go to the previously created directory on the memory card .../NavitelContent/Maps and insert the files. The copying process may take several minutes depending on the speed of your drive.
| File type | Extension | Recommended location | Approximate size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main card | .nm7 | SD card (Maps) | 1.5 - 3 GB |
| Traffic information | .nts | SD card (Maps) | 50 - 200 MB |
| Satellite images | .nmp | SD card (Maps) | up to 10 GB |
| Elevation contours | .atl | SD card (Maps) | 100 - 500 MB |
In addition to maps, you can also transfer a cache of satellite images if you use them. This will significantly speed up the loading of the substrate when switching display modes. Make sure that after transfer the files are not damaged and their names do not contain Cyrillic characters, although modern Navitel usually processes UTF-8 correctly.
☑️ Checking the data transfer
Setting up paths in the navigator menu
After transferring the files, launch the application Navitel Navigator. When you first start the app, it will ask for permission to access files and multimedia. Be sure to click "Allow", otherwise the application will not be able to read the card from external media due to security restrictions Android.
If the cards are not loaded automatically, you must manually specify the path to them. Go to the settings menu by clicking on the gear icon or three dots. Go to section Settings → Map → Other maps. Here you will see the “Add atlas” or “Select folder” button.
The navigator will open the system explorer. You need to sequentially follow the path: SD card → Android → data → com.navitel → files → NavitelContent → Maps. Select this folder and confirm the action. The app will scan the directory and add the found maps to the list of available ones.
⚠️ Attention: If you inserted a memory card after installing the application, you may need to restart your smartphone for the system to work correctly mounted the drive and assigned it the correct path in the file system.
In some cases, especially on smartphones Xiaomi or Huawei, the built-in file manager may hide the folder Android. If you do not see the desired directory, try using a third-party file manager, for example, Total Commander or Solid Explorer, by calling it through the folder selection interface in Navigator.
Manually specifying the path to the Maps folder on the memory card ensures that the navigator will use external storage even when updating the application or resetting settings.
Solving common errors and problems with access
Users often encounter a situation where everything is done correctly, but the navigator writes “Map files not found” or works extremely slowly. One of the common reasons is the use of low-quality memory cards that identify themselves as connected, but have read errors.
Check the card for errors using the utility chkdsk on your computer. Also make sure that the map is not full: for the navigation software to work correctly, it is recommended to leave 10-15% of free space on the media. This space is needed for maintaining logs and temporary files.
Another problem is related to access rights in new versions of Android (10, 11, 12, 13, 14). The system can block writing to the folder Android/data by third-party applications. In this case, try giving the Navitel application all possible permissions in the smartphone settings: Applications → Navitel → Permissions → Files and media → Allow management of all files.
- ⚡ Clear the application cache in the Android settings if the cards are not visible.
- 🔄 Reinstall the APK file over the current version without deleting the data.
- 💾 Check the integrity of the map files (sometimes re-downloading helps).
- 📱 Make sure the memory card is securely inserted into the slot.
If all else fails, try temporarily rename the folder com.navitel on the memory card (for example, to com.navitel_old), run the application so that it creates a new clean structure, and then transfer the cards again. This eliminates the possibility of a conflict between old configuration files.
Optimizing work and updating maps
After successful installation on the memory card, it is important to configure the update process. Automatic update over Wi-Fi may attempt to download new maps to internal memory, ignoring your settings. To avoid this, go to Navitel → My Navitel → Updates.
In the update settings, specify your preferred storage. If there is no such option, when downloading a new map, carefully watch the path selection dialog box. The system should substitute the path to the SD card by default if the previous setting was performed correctly.
⚠️ Attention: The interface and location of the settings may differ depending on the application version and smartphone model. Always check the current menus in your specific software build.
To extend the life of the memory card, disable recording detailed track logs if you do not use them to analyze trips. Constantly writing data to flash memory reduces the life of memory cells. This is done in the section Settings → Other settings → Record track (select "No" or "Simplified").
Check the status of the memory card regularly. Once every six months, it is recommended to connect it to your computer and make a backup copy of the folder NavitelContent. This will save you from having to re-download gigabytes of maps in case of a sudden drive failure.
Why doesn’t Navitel see the card after a reboot?
Most often the problem is that the Android system mounts the SD card with a delay or assigns a new path identifier to it. Make sure the card is inserted firmly. Also try in the developer settings (if enabled) to disable the "Keep the screen on" option or power saving for a specific application, since aggressive sleep mode can turn off the power to the card slot.
Is it possible to transfer the application itself (.apk) to the card?
On modern versions of Android (8.0 and higher), transfer the application executable file (.apk) to the memory card is often blocked by system tools or works unstable. The developers recommend leaving the application body in the internal memory, transferring only heavy data (maps and cache), which is what we did in this instruction.
How to update maps if there is no Internet on your smartphone?
You can download map update files (.nm7) on your computer from the official website or through the Navitel Navigator Updater app. Then connect your smartphone to your PC, copy new files to the Maps folder on the memory card, replacing the old ones. The next time you start the navigator, it will automatically detect new versions.
Does the speed of the memory card affect the operation of the navigator?
Yes, it does, especially when scaling the map and searching for addresses. A slow card (Class 4) may cause stuttering when you rotate the card sharply or zoom quickly. For comfortable work, it is recommended to use UHS-I U3 or higher class cards, especially if you store maps of all of Europe or Russia on it.
What to do if the application crashes on startup?
Try clearing the application cache in the Android settings. If this does not help, uninstall the application completely, restart your phone, insert a memory card, create a folder structure manually and install the APK again. Sometimes the conflict occurs due to residual files in the Android/data folder after a previous unsuccessful installation.