Download and save ForeFlight approach plates offline with Downloads or Pack, then verify coverage, storage and chart currency before take-off.
To use approach plates offline in ForeFlight, open More > Downloads, choose Download Settings, select the required coverage area and terminal procedures, then complete every queued download. For one trip, use Pack on the flight. Before disconnecting, open the destination airport and confirm its plates load without a network connection.
In our Aviation & Real-World Flying library, we treat offline availability and chart currency as separate checks: a plate can be stored on the device yet be unsuitable because its procedure cycle has expired.
How do you download all plates for an area?
ForeFlight's Downloads section is the dependable method when you want continuing offline coverage for a state, region or country.
- Check storage and coverage. Connect to reliable Wi-Fi, ensure the device has adequate free space and confirm that your ForeFlight subscription includes the required geographical coverage.
- Open the download settings. Go to More > Downloads and open Download Settings. Exact labels and grouping can differ between ForeFlight releases and chart providers.
- Select the area. Choose only the states, regions or countries you need. Selecting an entire country unnecessarily can consume substantial storage and lengthen every chart update.
- Select the procedure data. Enable Terminal Procedures, sometimes shown simply as Procedures. Select Airport Diagrams separately if that option appears; en-route charts are useful for the flight but are not required merely to display an approach plate.
- Complete the queue. Return to Downloads and start every item shown. Keep ForeFlight open and connected until nothing is pending, paused or failed.
- Test the plates. Disable Wi-Fi and mobile data, find the destination under Airports, open Procedures and display each approach you may use. Repeat this for the alternate and any required airport diagram.
Should you use Downloads or Pack?
Use Downloads for permanent regional coverage and Pack for the data associated with a particular planned flight.
| Method | Best choice when | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Downloads | You regularly fly within the same region and want all selected terminal procedures available offline. | Large selections consume more storage and create bigger update queues. |
| Pack | You have entered a route in Flights and need the associated charts and data for that trip. | You must pack again after changing the destination, alternate or route, and still verify the required plates manually. |
Pack is convenient, but it is not a substitute for the final offline check. A mistake we see often is packing a flight, changing the alternate later and assuming the newly relevant procedures were added automatically.
Does adding a plate to a binder save it offline?
A Plates binder keeps procedures organised, but it should not be treated as proof that all underlying chart data is safely downloaded.
Likewise, a plate that opened once while online may only have been cached. Use Downloads or Pack, then perform the network-off test. ForeFlight's bulk chart files remain inside the app rather than appearing as ordinary PDFs in the device's file manager.
For a separate simulator or PDF copy, our airport-by-airport collection of US approach plates helps locate the required procedure. Before relying on a saved PDF, follow our guidance for checking official chart sources and effective dates.
Why is an approach plate missing or unavailable offline?
Missing ForeFlight plates usually result from an incomplete procedure download, the wrong coverage selection or an expired data cycle.
- Maps were downloaded, but procedures were not: return to Download Settings and enable Terminal Procedures for the correct area.
- The plate displays a spinner or blank page: reconnect, check available storage and retry any failed download items.
- The airport has no Procedures list: confirm that the airport actually has a published instrument procedure and that the relevant region is included in your subscription.
- The chart is marked expired: download the latest procedure cycle before using it. Do not assume a chart is current merely because it still opens.
- The plate opens but has no aircraft symbol: offline storage and georeferencing are separate features. Own-aircraft display can depend on the subscription level, position source and applicable operating rules.
What should you verify before departure?
Verify the destination, alternate, expected approach options, airport diagrams, chart effective dates and ForeFlight's download status while reliable internet access is still available.
For real-world flying, also meet the EFB, power and backup requirements that apply to your operation. Downloading a plate does not replace briefing its frequencies, notes, minima and missed-approach instructions; our instrument approach chart reading guide covers those elements.