Which way is it actually facing?

A phone compass is a starting point, not a survey. Phone magnetometers drift, and a Mumbai flat is full of steel that bends them. Take the reading two or three times from slightly different spots, and if the answers disagree by more than about fifteen degrees, treat the result as approximate — a professional compass and a floor plan are what settle it.

Common questions

How do I find the direction my main door faces?

Stand in the centre of the doorway facing out of the flat, hold the phone flat on your palm, and take the reading. Keep away from the lift, the meter box, steel doors and your keys, which pull the needle.

Which degrees correspond to which Vastu direction?

North is 337.5° to 22.5°, North-East 22.5° to 67.5°, East 67.5° to 112.5°, South-East 112.5° to 157.5°, South 157.5° to 202.5°, South-West 202.5° to 247.5°, West 247.5° to 292.5° and North-West 292.5° to 337.5°.

Why does my phone compass give different readings?

Phone magnetometers drift and are affected by nearby metal, which a Mumbai flat has a great deal of. Take the reading two or three times from slightly different spots; if they disagree by more than about fifteen degrees, treat the result as approximate.

Is a phone compass good enough for Vastu?

It is good enough to tell you which zone something falls in, which is what most people want to know. A professional assessment uses a surveying compass against the floor plan, because a reading near a zone boundary can change the advice.

Does this tool work on a laptop?

Laptops have no magnetometer, so the live compass will not work. You can type a reading from any compass app into the box instead and get the same result.