The amount of space ForeFlight consumes on a device is highly variable based on subscription regions, selected downloads, and add-on downloads, such as Jeppesen charts. If planning to purchase an iPad or iPhone based on storage requirements, consider sizing up from what may be needed since storage can not be expanded on these devices.
Minimum Required Storage Space
The ForeFlight Mobile app alone uses approximately 350 MB of space installed. The minimum required downloads, the Airport Database, Business Directory, North American Obstacles, Terrain Map, and World Map (no charts or plates), require an additional 1.5 GB. Therefore, just to get started, plan on using a minimum of 2 GB of space for online use only (connected to the Internet).
Storage for Downloads for In-Flight Use (Offline)
To use ForeFlight in flight, data, such as airport diagrams, terminal procedures, and navigation charts, must be downloaded to view the information offline (not connected to the Internet). As charts, maps, documents, and more are downloaded, more storage space will be consumed. The Downloads page lists the approximate size of each download to help estimate the required space.
NOTE: Some items display a compressed file size on the Downloads page, meaning the actual size will be larger when installed. For example, the following list shows the compressed file size compared to the actual file size:
| Download | Compressed Size | Installed Size |
|
Airport Database |
133 MB | 650 MB |
|
High-Resolution Terrain: Canada |
334 MB | 1.4 GB |
|
High-Resolution Terrain: Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean |
96 MB | 737 MB |
|
High-Resolution Terrain: United States (Alaska only) |
56 MB | 947 MB |
|
High-Resolution Terrain: United States (Lower 48 states) |
242 MB | 1 GB |
| Low-Resolution Terrain Map: Worldwide | 61 MB | 320 MB |
Download Sizes by Region
Download sizes vary greatly depending on selections. More selected regions require more space, and more download types require more storage space.
The table below provides examples of download sizes for regions with everything available to download selected:
| Region(s) | Approximate Download Size |
| Canada | 12.4 GB |
| Germany | 1 GB |
| Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean | 1.9 GB |
| United States (Alaska only) | 4.5 GB |
| United States (lower 48 states) + Hawaii | 21.3 GB |
Download Sizes for Partial Region
Some users may not require entire regions to be downloaded. In those cases, partial regions can be selected for download, which reduces the storage space needed. For example, each U.S. state averages 480 MB for partial downloads for all items, though larger states like Texas or California need more space. In Canada, each province or territory averages 950 MB, with larger areas like Nunavut taking about three GB.
Data Cycle Changeover - Additional Storage Requirements
Before a chart cycle changeover, the upcoming data is typically downloaded a few days before the changeover date. New data cycle downloads usually require an additional 10-20% of the currently used space. For example, downloading 49 states + 4 Canadian provinces required 15.6 GB but only 17.1 GB during the changeover, a difference of 1.5 GB.
Once the new data cycle is effective, the old data is automatically deleted after opening ForeFlight Mobile. This process takes several minutes to avoid impacting app performance.
Additional Storage Space for Documents and Handbooks
Depending on the subscription coverage area, downloading the documents and handbooks available may require over 1 GB of space.
Jeppesen Subscription Download Sizes
Jeppesen subscription download sizes are as follows:
| Region | Storage Required |
| Africa | 597 MB |
| Australia | 605 MB |
| Africa | 597 MB |
| Canada and Alaska | 614 MB |
| Europe - Eastern | 622 MB |
| Europe - IFR & VFR | 721 MB |
| Europe - Northern | 631 MB |
| Latin America & Caribbean | 588 MB |
| Middle East and South Asia | 610 MB |
| New Zealand | 577 MB |
| South America | 607 MB |
| United States (lower 48 states) and Hawaii | 749 MB |
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