Get Started with QField: QGIS to Your Phone

Introduction

QField is open-source mobile GIS software that lets you use projects created in QGIS on smartphones and other devices. This article explains the basic steps for transferring a QGIS project to QField so you can use it on a mobile device.

For an overview of QField and examples of how it is used, see the following article.

Prepare the project in QGIS

To start a QField project, you first need to prepare the project in QGIS.

In QGIS, add the data you need, organize the layers, and adjust the styles. This example uses a project prepared to collect the locations of cherry trees.

Next, create a QField project from this QGIS project. The basic flow is as follows.

• Create a package for QField with the QFieldSync plugin
• Transfer the QField package to the mobile device
• Load the package in the QField app

Export the QGIS project with QFieldSync

What is QFieldSync

QFieldSync is a QGIS plugin that converts a QGIS project into a package for QField. When you transfer the package to a mobile device, you can use the project in QField. You can also bring data edited in QField back into QGIS.

Install QFieldSync

You can install QFieldSync from the Plugin Manager. Search for qfield sync and install the plugin.

When the installation finishes, the QFieldSync toolbar appears.

To learn more about installing QGIS plugins, see the following article.

Create a QField package from the QGIS project

To convert the QGIS project into a package for QField, click the Package for QField button on the toolbar.

The Package Project for QField dialog opens. Set the options as follows.

1. Packaged Project Title: enter any project name you like
2. Packaged Project Filename: click the ... button and specify where to save the package and its file name
3. Click Create

When the process finishes, a message appears. It says that the project was created and asks you to copy the folder to a device with QField installed.

Open the destination folder to see the project data stored there. In the next step, you transfer this folder to your mobile device, for example over a USB connection.

Load the project in the QField app

Install the QField app

If you have not installed QField yet, download the app to your mobile device. You can get it directly from the app store for your OS, or download it from the official QField website.

Store the project package file

After installing the app, first find the QField project folder on the mobile device. The location depends on your OS, so check the following locations in a file manager app.

On Android

On Android, the path of the folder where QField projects are stored is Android/data/ch.opengis.qfield/files/Imported Projects.

However, the default file manager app cannot access the Android/data folder directly. Instead, use an app that can read Android system folders, such as “Files”.

On iOS

Open the Files app and find the On My iPhone/QField/Imported Projects folder.

Once you find the folder, use cloud storage, USB, or another method to transfer the package you converted for QField to the Imported Projects folder.

Open the project in QField

When the transfer finishes, launch QField on the mobile device. On the home screen, tap Open local file.

In the QField browser, tap QField files directory.

In the QField files directory, tap the Imported Projects folder to access the imported projects.

The package you transferred from QGIS appears. In this example, tap mashiko_sakura.

The project files in the package appear. In this example, tap sakura_qfield.

The project opens in QField, with the styles and layer structure you prepared in QGIS intact. You can now check and edit data in the field.

Conclusion

This article covered the flow from preparing a QGIS project, to creating a package with the QFieldSync plugin, to loading it in the QField app. With QField, you can easily check a QGIS project and enter and edit data on site. You can get the most out of mobile GIS in many situations, such as field surveys and on-site inspections.

This article showed how to transfer a project to the mobile device manually. With QFieldCloud, you can store projects in the cloud, which makes syncing and managing data easier. For how to transfer projects with QFieldCloud, see the following article.