Standard uploads (PNG / PDF)
No OCAD file? You can still get great results.
Quality matters more than format
High-resolution images work well. If your source is a low-res scan, run it through an upscaler like Upscayl first.
- Use the highest resolution you have — bigger source images route significantly better.
- Make sure colours are clean and faithful to the original (no faded scans, no heavy recolouring).
- Avoid heavily compressed JPEGs — artefacts eat fine map detail.
The in-app editor
After uploading, Routster generates a black-and-white impassability guess that you refine in the editor:
- Black — impassable. The route can't go here.
- White — passable. The route can run through.
Use the brush to seal off fences, walls, and water. Use the eraser to open up gates and underpasses the auto-detection missed.
Check before you publish
Ten minutes of touch-ups can save your map from sending runners through a building. You can only view generated routes once processing has finished — but if something looks wrong, you can always go back into the in-app editor and continue from where you left off, then reprocess.
See common pitfalls for things to watch out for.