ATAK-CIV
Install ATAK-CIV (Civil Use) from the TAK Product Center listing on Google Play.
Get ATAK on Google Play ↗Android setup steps ↓01 / Start with your phone
One team.
Two ways onto the map.
Choose the app for your phone and install over Wi-Fi. You do not need to run a server or buy a DMR radio to install the phone app. Check the store’s current device requirements before the event.
iTAK
Install iTAK from the United States Department of the Army, TAK Product Center listing on the App Store.
Get iTAK on the App Store ↗iPhone setup steps ↓Using Windows at HQ? WinTAK is a separate client available through the TAK Product Center. Most players should start with the app for their phone.
02 / See what you’re opening
Real app screens.
A feel for the tools.
Start with our WinTAK event view, then compare the Android and iPhone examples below. Phone screenshots come from the official store listings. Layouts and available tools vary by platform and version.
WinTAK / The event picture
Open full-size screenshot ↗The field, with context.
Recognize the places
Labeled objectives, entry points, parking, registration, and other landmarks give the map useful context.
Keep the shared picture clear
Map graphics and labels help leaders discuss the same places. Your phone uses its own interface to display the team information shared with it.
Windows at HQ. Phones in the field.
This view is WinTAK on Windows. Players use ATAK on Android or iTAK on iPhone; installing WinTAK is not a phone setup step.
03 / Basic setup
Do the easy part
before you arrive.
Android quickstart
- Install and open ATAK-CIV.Use the official Google Play link above. Open it once at home and follow the first-launch prompts. Ask support before installing plugins or switching app versions.
- Check location access.Allow the location access needed for the app to show your position. Step outside and confirm that your own position updates. Review background-location and battery settings with support if tracking stops when the screen locks.
- Learn the map controls.Practice panning, zooming, and centering on yourself. Find the maps/layers tools and the contacts/chat tools. Menu locations can differ between versions.
- Prepare offline maps when issued.Get the team-approved map package through the private team channel when it is available. Import it with support’s instructions, open the field area, and verify the imagery is actually saved before leaving home.
- Join the German team at check-in.Bring your phone to German HQ. Use the personal enrollment card or package issued to you and follow the Android enrollment instructions. Set the callsign, color, and role assigned on your card; have support verify the connection.
iPhone quickstart
- Install and open iTAK.Use the official App Store link above. Check that your iPhone meets the store’s requirements, then follow the welcome and profile prompts.
- Check location access.Enable the location access and precise location needed to show your position. Step outside and confirm it updates. Have support check permissions if your position disappears when the app is in the background.
- Learn your map and messages.Practice zooming, moving the map, and returning to your own position. Find the map-source/layer tools and contacts/chat. iTAK and ATAK do not have identical controls or plugins.
- Load the approved maps when issued.Use the private team instructions for the iPhone-compatible map package. Import the package or saved maps and check that the field imagery opens offline. Ask for help if a file format will not import.
- Enroll at German HQ.Use the iPhone instructions on your personal card or the package issued by support. If prompted, enter the credentials from that card. Set your assigned callsign and company details, then complete a connection check.
Choose your phone above. If your app looks different, support can walk you through your version. Do not copy another organization’s server address or credentials from a tutorial. Our team provides your enrollment information.
04 / Watch, then try it
A few useful guides.
One skill at a time.
Start with the basic screen tour, then learn maps and navigation for your phone. The YouTube lessons below use older ATAK interfaces; COTAK’s walkthroughs provide additional Android and iPhone guidance. Follow our team’s enrollment instructions.
YOUTUBE / ATAK MAPBasic screen navigation
ATAK/CivTAK Overview
A public-release tour of the main screen and its tools. Older interface: use it for orientation rather than exact current menu positions.
Watch on YouTube ↗ Series sourceYOUTUBE / TOOLBARMake your tools easier to find
Customizing the Action Bar
An optional older-interface guide to arranging ATAK tools. Learn the basics first; ask support before changing a team-managed layout.
Watch on YouTube ↗ Lesson sourceMap tools & navigation
Get familiar with the map and common tools, then practice selecting a point and navigating toward it.
Map & tools walkthrough ↗Point Dropper & GoTo ↗Offline maps lesson ↗iTAK setup & map tools
See the iPhone workflow and learn the map tools. The connection example is for COTAK; use German HQ enrollment details instead.
iTAK first-launch walkthrough ↗iTAK interface & tools ↗iTAK offline maps lesson ↗More YouTube training: ATAK Map · The TAK Syndicate · COTAK. External instructors are independent of GermanHQ. App listings and guide sources checked November 5, 2026.
05 / Your first five skills
Find your squad.
Understand the next move.
Find yourself
Center the map on your own position. Check that your GPS position is current before relying on it.
Read the picture
Learn teammate symbols and the markers your leader points out. A visible marker can be old; check its details and freshness.
Follow a point
Practice the navigation tool for your app. A bearing line is not a safe route: respect terrain, boundaries, and referees.
Send a useful message
Find the correct team conversation and acknowledge a test message. Use the event’s communication rules after your brief.
Share carefully
Have your lead show you how to create and share a test marker. Keep practice clutter off the event map.
Maps offline ≠ live teammates offline
Saved maps keep the background available.
GPS can show your own position without mobile data, but server-based teammate updates, chat, and new markers need connectivity. A DMR voice radio does not automatically carry TAK data. If the map stops updating, follow your squad’s radio and fallback instructions.
06 / Pre-event help & final check
Install early.
We’ll help with the rest.
We can help before the event with installing the app, device compatibility, permissions, battery behavior, offline-map preparation, and basic practice. Contact your German-side squad lead or organizer through your existing team channel to arrange assistance. Tell us your phone model, Android/iOS version, app version, and what is not working.
Before you leave home
Personal preparation checklist only. These ticks are not sent to the team or saved when you reload.
At German HQ check-in
- Receive your personal enrollment instructions.
- Set your assigned identity and company details.
- Confirm the server connection with support.
- Check a teammate update and a test message.
- Verify offline maps and rehearse with your squad.
I installed the app. Why can’t I see the German team?
Installing the app does not enroll you on our network. You need the personal connection information issued by German HQ, working connectivity, and a successful connection check.
Can I download the team map pack here?
This public guide does not distribute the team’s map packages or enrollment files. Support will provide the private distribution instructions when the approved package is ready. Ask early so you can download it before travelling.
Should I test the emergency button?
Do not trigger a live emergency alert as practice. Ask staff for a supervised demonstration. For a real injury at the event, alert a field referee immediately and follow the event’s safety process; TAK supplements that process.
Can I share screenshots of our live map?
Keep team credentials, live player positions, and event plans private. Use these public store screenshots when showing friends what the app looks like.