FAQ
Answers to the questions we hear most: missing postcards, downloads, custom postcards, account backup, collection lists, and Pikpin Plus.
Can't see postcards?
Most "nothing here" moments come down to which regions you've downloaded.
Pikpin only shows data downloaded to your phone. Go to “bottom-left menu → ⚙️ Settings → Postcard Downloads” and download the region you want.
Some countries are split into several regions — Taiwan, for example, into North, Central, South and more. If you can't find your city, download the region that covers it (Taipei is in “Northern Taiwan”).
Coverage varies within a region. Central Tokyo is very complete, for example, while mountains and islands take longer. An empty spot doesn't mean there are no postcards there — we keep adding more.
Check your connection and free space on your phone (the Downloads page warns you when space runs low), then try again.
If you have no connection the first time you open the app, tap “Continue to the App” and download later.
Search only looks through downloaded data, so first make sure the region is downloaded. If it still doesn't show up, the name may be written differently or the spot hasn't been added yet.
What you see on the map
What the markers and images on the map mean.
No. Flowers are decoration to make places easier to browse. They don't mean there's a big flower or mushroom there in the game right now.
Some images update along with their source photos. To confirm a place, go by its name, location and nearby landmarks.
Yes. In “Settings → Map Postcard Style”, choose “Default” or “Rounded Square”.
Yes. The map, search and downloads all work; Pikpin just can't show where you are or what's nearby. To turn location on later, tap the location button on the map and it will take you to Settings.
Custom postcards
Turn your own photos into postcards of places you've been.
A postcard made from your own photo, with a name, address and notes. Three ways to create one:
- Long-press a spot on the map
- Open any postcard, scroll to the bottom and tap “Add Custom Postcard” — the place's name and location are filled in
- Go to “Collection Lists → Custom Postcards” and tap “＋”
Pick a Pikmin Bloom postcard screenshot and the name and address fill in automatically. You need to sign in first.
Postcards without a location don't appear on the map — edit it and add a location or address. The map also needs to be zoomed in far enough to show postcards.
Yes. Go to “Custom Postcards → ＋ → Import Postcards (CSV)” — a template is available on that page. Photos can't be imported by CSV; add them one by one afterwards.
Only you, by default. When you add one to a public list, its photo, name, exact location, address and notes become public. The app asks you before publishing.
Account and backup
Signing in is optional. Here's what it gives you and how your data is kept.
No. Browsing, downloading, searching and saving postcards all work without an account. Signing in adds cloud backup, custom postcards, public lists and Pikpin Plus. Sign in with Apple or Google.
Your collection lists and custom postcards (with photos). Downloaded regions aren't backed up — just download them again on the new phone.
The app backs up automatically, and you can back up manually in Settings. On a new phone, sign in to the same account and choose “Cloud Data” when asked which data to use.
Your collection lists stay on this phone. Custom postcards are removed from this phone but stay in the cloud and come back when you sign in again. If some postcards haven't uploaded yet, the app warns you before signing out.
Go to “Settings → Profile → Delete Account”. Your account, cloud backup, public lists and custom postcards are permanently deleted.
Your subscription is not canceled automatically — cancel it in the App Store. If you can't use the app, email [email protected].
Collection lists and sharing
Organizing postcards, sharing lists, and opening routes.
Create your own lists, set a cover, reorder items and manage several postcards at once. A list can hold both official postcards and your custom postcards.
The list name, cover, the postcards in it, and your public profile. Lists you don't publish are visible only to you, and you can unpublish anytime.
No. Pikpin lines up your stops and hands the route to Apple Maps or Google Maps.
Yes — it's a Plus feature: export any list as CSV or Markdown. Custom postcards can be exported for free, photos included.
Pikpin Plus
What's included, getting it working, and canceling.
- Saved postcards: 500 → 3,000
- Collection lists: 5 → 100
- Custom postcards: 100 → 1,000
- List export and no ads
You need to sign in to subscribe. Plus is tied to your account, so on a new phone just sign in to the same account.
Make sure you're signed in to the account you bought it with, then tap “Restore Purchases” on the Plus page. If you see “Sync Purchase”, tapping it usually fixes it.
On your iPhone, go to “Settings → your name → Subscriptions”, choose Pikpin and cancel. Plus stays active until the end of the current period.
Reports and contact
The more detail you include, the faster we can help.
Use the report feature in the app, attach a screenshot, and mention the country, city or a nearby landmark. The more detail, the faster we can fix it.
Data needs to be checked and prepared before it's updated, so it isn't instant. Clear locations and screenshots help it go faster.
Pikpin is an independently developed app. Preparing map data, servers and download traffic are fixed costs every month, and postcard data needs constant filling-in and fixing.
If Pikpin helps you, subscribing to Plus is the most direct way to support it — and it makes the app nicer to use, with no ads. Without a subscription you'll see a few ads, which help cover part of the running costs.
If subscribing isn't for you, that's completely fine. Keep using Pikpin, share it with fellow players, or report gaps and mistakes you find — it all genuinely helps. Thank you for your support 🌱
Message or comment on Threads @pikpin.official, or email [email protected].