What WhereBench does
- Your position: latitude and longitude, accuracy radius, altitude and speed, as your device reports them.
- Any point on the map: tap anywhere to get its coordinates, plus the distance and bearing from where you are.
- Search: paste coordinates in almost any format, a map link with
@lat,lon, or type an address. - Formats: decimal degrees, degrees-minutes-seconds (DMS), degrees and decimal minutes, UTM and Plus Codes, each copied with one tap.
- Map: OpenStreetMap or satellite imagery, plus quick links to open the point in Google Maps, Apple Maps, OpenStreetMap or a navigation app.
It is useful when you need to tell a rescue service, a delivery driver or a friend exactly where you are, to note a spot in the countryside, or to check the coordinates written on a document.
How to find your coordinates
- Open WhereBench and press Find me.
- Allow location access when the browser asks. If you allowed it before, your position appears straight away.
- Wait 10–15 seconds: the page keeps listening and refines the position while the accuracy circle shrinks.
- Tap a format to copy it, or press Share location to send a link.
To follow your movement, switch on Follow live. To find the coordinates of another place, tap it on the map or type an address in the search box and press Enter.
Coordinate formats explained
The same point can be written in several ways. All of them below describe the same place, the Motherland Monument in Kyiv:
| Format | Example | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Decimal degrees | 50.4265, 30.5632 | map apps, websites, most software |
| DMS | 50°25′35.4″N 30°33′47.5″E | paper maps, documents, aviation |
| Degrees, decimal minutes | 50° 25.590′ N 30° 33.792′ E | marine and hiking GPS units, geocaching |
| UTM | 36U 326921 5588890 | topographic maps, surveying, rescue services |
| Plus Code | 9G2GCHG7+J74 | addresses where there are no street names |
In decimal degrees the first number is latitude (north is positive, south negative) and the second is longitude (east is positive, west negative). Five digits after the point is about one metre, which is more than enough for any phone.
Why accuracy varies
The accuracy circle shows how sure the device is about the position. What you get depends on where you are and what the device can use:
- Outdoors with GPS: 3–10 m on a modern phone, after a few seconds with a clear view of the sky.
- Indoors: satellite signals are weak, so phones and laptops fall back to Wi-Fi networks and cell towers, usually 20–500 m.
- Computers without GPS: only Wi-Fi positioning, which can be very good in a city and poor in the countryside.
- Approximate by IP: if location access is not available, WhereBench can show where your internet provider places you. That is only city-level.
For the best fix, go outside, keep the phone still for 15 seconds and make sure precise location is allowed for the browser in the phone’s settings.
Privacy
Coordinates are calculated by your device and never sent to fof.lol. Map tiles come from OpenStreetMap (satellite images from Esri) and addresses from OpenStreetMap Nominatim: these services see only the area you are looking at, not who you are. The address is looked up at most once a second, and in tracking mode only after you move 30 m.
Frequently asked questions
Does WhereBench work without the internet?
GPS itself works offline, so your coordinates still appear if the page is installed or already open. The map, the address and search need a connection.
Why does the browser not ask for location?
Location works only over a secure connection (HTTPS) and only if the browser and the system allow it. If you once refused, allow it again in the site settings of the browser and in the phone’s privacy settings.
How do I send my location to rescuers?
Copy the coordinates in decimal degrees and read them out digit by digit, latitude first, or send an exact link. Mention the accuracy radius too.
Which format should I use?
Decimal degrees work almost everywhere. Use DMS when a form or a paper map asks for degrees, minutes and seconds, and UTM for topographic maps.
Can I see the sunrise and sunset for this place?
Yes: WhereBench has a Sun & moon here button that opens the place in ToolBench.