All TomTom GO units come pre-installed with millions of Points of Interest (POIs) but why limit yourself to just those?  There are many other POIs that can be added and the list keeps growing as TomTom and other online communities update their POI databases.  If you are interested in broadening your POI database, follow the instructions below. 

Be advised, POIs use memory on the unit’s SD card or hard drive, so make sure you have enough space to properly install the POI set.  In addition, it is recommended that you make a backup of all the files on your TomTom prior to any custom installations.

1.  Choose a POI set from any online source to install.  One of many places to look is Pocket GPS World.  Download the file and save to your computer.  Be sure to take note of where you saved the file so you can access it later.

2.  The POI set is most likely compressed for delivery (for instance Win Zipped, identified by a *.zip extension).  Locate the file you downloaded and double click on it to begin uncompressing.  Once prompted, save the individual files to a location of your choice.  You can probably expect to see 3 files:

-*.bmp – graphic file used to display the point on the map – i.e. the fork and knife graphic for restaurants.
-*.txt – a set of instructions for installation and the history of the POI set.
-*.ov2 – the actual list of POI locations

3.  Once you have all of these files on your computer, take the USB cord supplied with the TomTom unit and connect your computer to the back of the unit. Turn on your TomTom.  This should trigger the computer to automatically recognize the unit.  If you have problems at this point please see the TomTom Support section on our website to learn how to properly connect the TomTom unit and other troubleshooting tips.

4.  Once recognized, open the TomTom folder (located in My Computer under “TomTom GO”).  It will look similar to this:

5.  Open up the “United_States-Map” folder which contains all the POI information.  Drag and drop the *.bmp and the *.ov2 file into that directory.  I added the U.S. National Parks to my TomTom as you can see in the image below.  The *.txt file has no functional purpose.

6.  Once the files are copied and verified to be in the correct folder, close out all the TomTom directories and right click on “TomTom GO” within My Computer. Go to “Eject,” then follow the instructions to unplug the USB cord from the TomTom.

7.  When you restart your TomTom you will see a “Legal Notice.”  Click “Agree” and navigate to the POI list. Your new POIs should be available.

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