By default a visitor picks both ends of their journey — where they are and where they're going. But when the map is shown at a known spot, like a screen bolted to a wall or a QR sticker by the front door, you already know where "here" is. A fixed starting location locks every route to that point so the visitor only has to choose a destination.
When to use a fixed start
| Situation | Fixed start? |
|---|---|
| Wall-mounted kiosk or directory screen | Yes — set it to the landmark where the screen physically is. |
| Printed QR code at a specific spot | Yes — the QR always opens "from" that spot. |
| Map used on people's own phones anywhere | No — leave it open so each visitor sets their own start (or uses GPS). |
Set the fixed start
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Find the landmark's ID
On the Landmarks tab, note the ID of the landmark that sits where the map is displayed — the spot you want every route to begin from.
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Open the Wayfinding tab
In the editor, go to Wayfinding.
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Enter the ID in Fixed starting location
In Fixed starting location ID, type that landmark's ID. Now every route begins there and the visitor only chooses a destination.
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Leave it blank to let visitors choose
An empty field (it shows "Disabled") means the visitor picks their own starting point as normal — which is what you want for a map used on personal phones.
Fixed start vs GPS "current location"
A fixed start and live GPS positioning answer the same question — "where am I?" — in opposite situations. A fixed start suits a device that never moves. GPS suits a visitor moving around with their own phone, starting their route from wherever they actually are. Use a fixed start for kiosks and signage; rely on GPS (see the GPS guides) for on-the-go visitors. They're not usually both needed on the same deployment.
Test it
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Open directions in the preview
The "from" field should already be filled with your fixed location and the visitor only needs to pick a "to".
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Route to a few places
Confirm each route starts from the fixed spot and draws cleanly.