Guide: how the Taktikapp works
From your first pitch to a shared board: every feature explained with a picture. Start with the five quick steps, then dive into each tool.
Quick start: your first board in five steps
- Sign in: Enter your email and click the login link in the mail. No password, free of charge.
- Choose a pitch: Pick full-size, small-sided or kids' football, full or half pitch, portrait or landscape.
- Place players: Choose the Players tool and click on the pitch, or insert a complete line-up via Menu → Formations.
- Draw arrows and zones: Use Lines & Arrows for runs, passes and dribbles, and Shapes to mark areas.
- Share: Use Share to download the board as a PNG or send it as a link.
New here? The first time you start on a laptop, “My first board” opens with a ready-made 4-4-2 line-up and short hints next to the toolbar. Just move a player and you are up and running.
The video above and the sign-in page are in German. The app itself switches to English with the DE/EN button.
Sign in: free, no password
Enter your email address and click Login-Link schicken (send login link). The mail contains a link that signs you in directly. It is valid for 15 minutes. If you open the mail on another device, such as your phone, enter the 6-digit code from the mail in the browser where you requested the link.
You then stay signed in for 90 days. There is no password to forget. Ticking the newsletter box (tips plus a weekly drill) is optional.
No mail? Check your spam folder and request a new link if needed.
Choose a pitch
New board opens the pitch selector with three tabs. Pick a pitch, name the board, done.
| Tab | For | Pitches |
|---|---|---|
| Full-size | U15 to seniors, 11v11 | full or half pitch, portrait or landscape |
| Small-sided | U11 to U13, 7v7 to 9v9 | full or half pitch, portrait or landscape |
| Kids' football | U7 to U11, 2v2 to 5v5 | 4 mini goals, 4 mini goals with shooting zone, 2 small goals, portrait or landscape |
The pitch cannot be changed later. For a different pitch, create a new board.
The interface at a glance
- Menu: new board, open boards, formations, share, PNG, sign out
- Undo / redo
- Board name (click to rename) and save status
- Language German/English
- Light/dark: switch the pitch
- Guide: this page
- Share: PNG or link
- Toolbar: players, lines & arrows, shapes, objects, text, edit, eraser
- Clear pitch: remove everything (with confirmation)
- Pitch with all elements
- Settings of the selected tool: type, colour, size
- Zoom: − and +, click the percentage to reset
The principle is always the same: choose a tool on the left, set type and colour on the right, then click on the pitch. The app remembers your settings per device. The circular arrow at the top right of the panel resets them.
Players P
Choose the Players tool and click on the pitch: every click places a player. There are four types: circle and triangle, both also with a facing direction. Many coaches use circles for their own team and triangles for the opponent.
- Colour: blue, yellow, red, green, grey or black
- Size: slider from 1 to 7
- Orientation: for triangles and directed types, in 15-degree steps
- Number: up to three characters, e.g. “9” or “CDM”
Tip: if the number field contains a number, it counts up automatically after each player. Enter “1” and click eleven times: your starting eleven is numbered 1 to 11.
Insert formations
Instead of placing every player, open Menu → Formations… and click a formation. The app places all players with position codes such as GK, CB, CDM or ST. It uses the type, colour and size set in the Players tool.
- Full-size: 19 formations, from 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 to 3-5-2 and 5-4-1
- Small-sided: formations for 7v7, 8v8 and 9v9, such as 2-3-1 or 3-3-2
- Kids' football: 2-2 and 1-2-1 for two small goals, 2, 3 or 4 players on the mini-goal pitches
A formation adds to what is already on the pitch. For the second team, choose another colour first and insert the formation again. Half pitches have no formations; they need a full pitch. What each system is about is explained on the formation pages.
Lines and arrows L
Arrows show what happens. Nine types are available:
| Type | Commonly used for | How |
|---|---|---|
| Arrow | run without the ball | 2 clicks: start, end |
| Dashed arrow | pass | 2 clicks |
| Wave arrow | dribble | 2 clicks |
| Curved arrows (3) | curved run, cross, overlap | 3 clicks: start, curve, end |
| Straight and curved line | boundary, marking | 2 or 3 clicks |
| Freehand | quick sketch | click and drag |
Set colour and width (2 to 6 pixels) before drawing. A preview shows while you draw. You can start right on a player.
Shapes and zones S
Draw rectangles, ovals and triangles by clicking and dragging. For a freeform shape, click the corner points one after another and close it with a double-click, Enter or a click on the starting point. Esc cancels.
- Fill and outline are set separately, each a colour or “None”.
- Opacity from 10 to 100 percent applies to the fill. 20 to 35 percent works well for zones.
- Outline width from 1 to 12 pixels.
- Rotation for rectangles and triangles.
Shapes always sit below players, arrows and objects, so a pressing zone never hides a player.
Objects: training equipment O
Twelve objects, each placed with one click: ball, mini goal, small goal, goal, pole, ring, agility ladder, dummy, flag, cone, marker disc and hurdle.
For each object you set size (1 to 7), orientation (except the ball) and colour. Turn the goals in the direction of play and lay the ladder as it lies on the pitch.
Text T
Click on the pitch and start typing. Enter adds a line break, Esc or a click outside confirms. Double-click an existing text to change it. Set size (10 to 72 pixels), colour and alignment (left, centre, right) in the panel.
Good for titles, rules and the one coaching point that matters. Text is available once you are signed in.
Edit, move, delete V E
With Edit · Move you click an element and change its properties in the panel: colour, size, orientation and number for players, colour and width for lines, fill, outline, opacity and rotation for shapes. The type (e.g. circle instead of triangle) cannot be changed afterwards; place the element again instead.
- Move: click and drag. For lines and arrows you can also drag start, curve and end separately.
- Pan the view: drag on an empty area with the Edit tool.
- Delete: select and press Del or ⌫, right-click → Delete, or click elements with the eraser.
- Clear pitch: button at the bottom of the toolbar, with confirmation.
- Undo: up to 60 steps, even after “Clear pitch”.
- Esc cancels drawing, clears the selection and switches to Edit.
View, zoom and dark pitch
Zoom from 50 to 300 percent with − and + at the bottom right. Clicking the percentage resets zoom and position. On a tablet, zoom and pan with two fingers.
The sun icon at the top right switches to the dark pitch, ideal for a projector in team talks. Black elements automatically turn white. The next time you open the board it starts light again.
Saving is automatic, a few seconds after each change. “Auto-saved” next to the name means everything is stored.
My boards and folders
Menu → Open board or ⌘O takes you to your board overview.
- Search by name, filter by pitch type, sort by date, name or pitch type.
- Create folders, for example one per team. Move boards via “Move to …”. New boards are saved in the folder that is open. Deleting a folder keeps its boards.
- Open with a double-click, rename, duplicate and delete in each row. If a board has a link, copy it with one click.
- Use the checkboxes on the left to select several boards and move, duplicate or delete them together.
Careful: deleted boards cannot be restored. That is why the app asks before deleting, also when you delete several boards at once.
The top shows how many of your 10 free boards are in use. A 1x1SPORT membership gives you unlimited space. Already a member with another email? Link it via Menu → Link 1x1SPORT membership.
On your phone
On a phone the mobile view opens automatically. The dock at the bottom holds all tools. Tap a tool a second time to open its settings; the bar above lets you pick the type quickly.
- Tap to place an element, drag to move it.
- Two fingers zoom and pan the view.
- Tap an element to get a bar with properties, rotate, duplicate and delete.
- Share the PNG straight from your phone's share menu, e.g. to WhatsApp.
On a phone you always need to sign in. Switch between mobile and desktop view in the menu. Tablets use the desktop view.
Keyboard shortcuts
Use ⌘ on a Mac and Ctrl on Windows. Letter shortcuts work whenever you are not typing text.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| P | Players |
| L | Lines & arrows |
| S | Shapes |
| O | Objects |
| T | Text |
| V | Edit · move |
| E | Eraser |
| Del / ⌫ | delete selected element |
| Esc | cancel, clear selection |
| ⌘Z | Undo |
| ⇧⌘Z / ⌘Y | Redo |
| ⌘N | New board |
| ⌘O | Open boards |
| ⌘E | Download PNG |
In the board overview, ↑ ↓ select, Enter opens and the space bar ticks a board.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change the pitch later?
No. You choose the pitch when you create the board. For a different pitch, create a new board via Menu → New board. With Menu → Formations your players are back in place within seconds.
Can I copy or duplicate elements?
On the phone, yes: tap an element and choose Duplicate in the bar above it. On desktop there is no copy and paste. You can duplicate whole boards in the board overview.
Where are my boards saved?
In your account, automatically a few seconds after each change. That is why they are available on every device where you sign in with the same email. The browser also keeps a copy of the current board, so nothing gets lost if the connection drops briefly.
How many boards can I save?
With the free account you can save 10 boards. The board overview shows how many are in use. As a 1x1SPORT member you can save unlimited boards; see Get more boards in the overview.
I deleted something by mistake. What now?
Press ⌘Z or Ctrl+Z, or use the arrow at the top left, to undo up to 60 steps, including “Clear pitch”. The history lasts while the board is open. A board deleted from the overview cannot be restored.
Can I add player names?
Each player has a field for up to three characters, such as a shirt number or a short code like “CDM”. For names, use the Text tool and place the name next to the player. When sharing a link, numbers instead of full names protect your players.
Is there a PDF export?
No, the Taktikapp exports PNG images 2400 pixels wide. For a PDF, insert the PNG into your document and save it as PDF from there.
What does the Taktikapp cost?
Nothing. Signing in, drawing, saving, sharing and PNG export are free. You only pay if you want to save more than 10 boards: that comes with a 1x1SPORT membership.
Another question or found a bug? Write to team@1x1sport.de or use the feedback button at the bottom right of the app.
Explore the football formations and open any of them straight in the Taktikapp.
Open the Taktikapp for free