# Take photos and GPS points in the field

Last updated: 2026-10-27

> Capture a record's GPS point with your phone, wait for good accuracy, and take photos that keep where they were taken.

On your phone, a record's location field uses your phone's GPS: tap **Capture GPS Point**, wait until the accuracy is good, then tap **Capture Best Point**. Photo fields open your camera with **Take Photo**, and each photo saves a location. Both work offline if your app has it.

## Capture a GPS point

1. Open the record's form and find its location field.
2. Tap **Capture GPS Point**. A panel opens with the **Latest Accuracy**, in metres.
3. Stay still and wait for the number to drop. The panel tells you when to capture:
   - "Waiting for GPS system to warm up...": the first minute after the GPS starts, unless the accuracy gets better than 5 m sooner.
   - "Try to avoid covered areas and stay still for a few seconds": 5 m or more.
   - "Capture now, or wait still a few more seconds for better accuracy": between 3 and 5 m.
   - "Great accuracy, capture now.": 3 m or less.
4. Tap **Capture Best Point**.

![The GPS Point Capture panel: Latest Accuracy ±3.0m and Great accuracy, capture now](https://restorationscope.com/docs/figures/en/gps-point-capture.png)

The form shows **Captured:** with the latitude, longitude and accuracy (ACC). Save the form.

![The Location field after a capture: Captured with the latitude, longitude and ACC 3.0m, above Capture GPS Point](https://restorationscope.com/docs/figures/en/gps-location-field.png)

If the app can't use your location, the button reads **Check GPS permissions**: tap it and follow the steps to allow location. The app needs precise location to capture a point.

On a computer, there's no GPS: click **Select GPS point on map** (or **Change location**) and click the spot on the map.

## Walk a line or a boundary

On a phone, a shape field also offers **Walk Perimeter** (or **Walk Line**): you walk the edge while the phone records your path. The steps are in [Draw a boundary, line or point on the map](https://restorationscope.com/docs/draw-shapes).

## Take photos

In a record's form:

- On a phone, a field for one photo has **Take Photo** to open the camera. Depending on how the field is set up, it may also have **Upload Photo** to choose one from your phone, or only let you choose a file.
- A field for several photos has **Take photo** and **Upload** on a phone.

If your app has field photos, editors can also open a record on the map and tap **Take Photo** in its actions: the photo is saved with that record.

Each photo saves a location: the one stored in the photo itself or, when it has none, a stand-in: where your phone is when you add it, the record's location, or another photo's. So a saved location isn't always where the photo was taken: check it, above all for an old photo. A photo with no location can show **No GPS** when you open it.

With no connection, photos wait on your phone and upload when you're back online. See [Check that your changes synced](https://restorationscope.com/docs/sync-center).

## Get better accuracy

- Give the phone a minute or two with a view of the sky before you capture. The first readings are the worst.
- Stay away from tree cover, buildings and steep slopes when you can, and stand still.
- Keep location set to precise or high accuracy in the phone's settings.

How far to trust a phone's GPS for plots, boundaries and single trees: read [How accurate is phone GPS for field data?](https://restorationscope.com/blog/phone-gps-accuracy)