Reading the world map and minimap

At a glance

The minimap normally sits at the bottom right. Press M for the full world map. Shift+click to ping, or Alt+click to place a marker your party can also see.

Minimap

A map of your surroundings, normally at the bottom right. Drag its right edge to move it to the top right. It shows nearby terrain and icons around your character.

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5:45 AM · Dawn

Your position arrow	Your character’s location; the arrow points in the direction you are facing.
Right-side + / −	Zoom in and out. You can also use the mouse wheel.
Toggle Rotation	Keep north at the top, or rotate the map with your camera. If you have panned away, the button returns the view to your character.
Pan to Story	Move the minimap view to your next personal-story objective. Hover over the minimap to reveal its right-side controls.
World Map button	Open the full world map, just like pressing M.
Clock at the lower left	Enable the clock in Options and choose Local Time, Server Time, or Tyrian Time. Tyrian Time helps you follow the game’s day and night cycle.
Event rewards	Reward icons appear at the bottom right of the screen after events. Right-click an icon to claim it without opening the item preview.

Map shortcuts : these work on both the minimap and the world map (M)

Input	Effect	Visible to
Shift + left-click	Ping: place a flashing marker at that location	Your party or squad
Shift + right-drag	Draw a line: mark a route or direction	Your party or squad
Alt + left-click	Shared location marker: place one marker on the minimap and world map. Left-click the marker without Alt to remove it.	Your party
Shift + left-click a waypoint, point of interest, or supported map object	Insert its location link into the chat input	Use chat to share the location with other players

World map M

A full-screen map of your current area or the whole world. The same ping, marker, and drawing shortcuts work here as on the minimap.

World Completion

303/303

189/189

486/486

226/226

653/653

Queensdale

17/17

16/16

7/7

9/9

21/21

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Parts of the world map

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Completion panel on the left

Shows World Completion and progress in the current area. Each objective type (hearts, waypoints, points of interest, vistas, and hero challenges) has a completed/total count. Completed objectives have filled icons.

🗺️

Icons on the map

Unfinished objectives have empty icons; completed ones have filled icons. Click a waypoint to see its travel cost and confirmation prompt. Confirm, or double-click the waypoint, to travel. For icon types, see the completion icons table below.

🔍

Zoom and layer controls on the right

Use +/− or the mouse wheel to zoom. On maps with underground, surface, and upper levels, the zoom controls have layer buttons below them. Click these to switch between Upper, Surface, and Underground views.

🌍

Region navigation at the bottom right

Click a region icon to move the map view to Central Tyria, Maguuma, the Crystal Desert, Cantha, or another region. This moves the map view, not your character.

Completion icons

Icon	Name	Meaning
	Renown Heart	Help a local NPC to complete the objective. The heart NPC opens a shop when it is complete.
	Waypoint	A fast-travel point. Once unlocked, you can pay its travel cost to go there. You cannot use it while in combat, or when the destination is Contested.
	Point of Interest (PoI)	A notable location, discovered automatically when you approach it.
	Hero Challenge	An objective that grants hero points, completed through interactions or a fight.
	Vista	A scenic viewpoint, often high up. Approach it and press F to interact; a short cinematic plays and the objective is completed.

Event icons

Color	Type	Meaning
● Orange	Dynamic Event	Orange map icons vary with the objective, such as escorting an NPC or defeating a boss. Help with the objective to earn participation credit. Rewards depend on your contribution and whether the event succeeds.
● Orange (skull)	Group Event	The event name is marked [Group Event]. These encounters are designed for several players and are difficult to complete alone.
● Orange	Meta Event	A large event chain across an area. Check progress in the event panel on the right. Many players join for the completion rewards.

💡

Revealing the map’s fog of war is tracked separately for each character. A new character starts with the map obscured again. Mastery points, however, are shared across your account.

Completing Central Tyria’s world completion objectives awards two Gifts of Exploration, a material for first-generation legendary weapons. You need this material to craft a first-generation legendary weapon yourself.

Completing an explorable map can award a Black Lion Chest Key. Cities do not award keys, and your character must be level 80 to receive one from a level-80 map. These keys open Black Lion Chests and are also sold in the Gem Store.

The map-transfer prompt

If few players remain in your current open-world instance, a prompt on the left invites you to move to a more populated instance of the same map.

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Choose Yes to receive +10% experience from kills, +5% karma, and +15% PvE movement speed for ten minutes.

Stay if you are in the middle of a meta event or another event. Changing instances leaves the event you are currently participating in.