Check which north your compass uses
The NOAA explanation of magnetic declination describes the angle between true and magnetic north. If an app reports a true-north Qibla bearing while a compass points relative to magnetic north, copying the same number between them can produce a mismatch.
With east-positive declination, magnetic bearing = true bearing − declination, wrapped into 0–360°. For an illustrative true bearing of 120° and declination of +10°, the magnetic reading is 110°. With −10°, it is 130°. Do not apply the correction again if the compass already uses true north.
Calculated examples for 1 January 2027
Qibla comes from the site's geographic calculation; declination uses the World Magnetic Model 2025 through our existing magnetic model. These are city-centre estimates, not measurements inside a building.
A practical troubleshooting sequence
- Confirm the app has the intended location, rather than an old travel destination.
- Check whether its bearing and your compass both use true north or both use magnetic north.
- Move away from magnetic cases, speakers, vehicles and large metal objects, and compare again.
- Follow the device manufacturer's calibration instructions and keep the phone in the orientation the app expects.
- Compare with an established local Qibla marker or another method if uncertainty remains.
A magnetic model corrects the Earth's field; it cannot predict every nearby object or repair a phone sensor. Decimal places in the table should not be mistaken for that level of practical accuracy.
Use the appropriate tool
Our Qibla finder explains its location and sensor use. City Qibla pages also provide a magnetic reading and sun-based checks when available. Do not point the phone toward a map's “up” direction unless you know how that map is oriented.