How to check Starlink obstructions before installation

TL;DR

- Use the Starlink app's obstruction-checking feature at the proposed installation location.

- For a Standard4 kit, seek a clear sky view and complete the scan before mounting.

- Review the obstruction map to distinguish obstructed and available portions of the required sky view.

- This guide covers ground-accessible checks only. It does not provide roof-access instructions.

Before installing a Standard4 kit, evaluate the proposed location with the Starlink app and look for a clear view of the sky. Read the resulting obstruction map before committing to the mount location. Related how-tos live in the published Guide section.

Key facts

| Item | Supported detail | | --- | --- | | Hardware scope | The supplied installation guide covers the Standard4 kit. | | Check timing | Run the obstruction scan before mounting the kit. | | Scan result | The obstruction map distinguishes obstructed portions from portions available to the antenna. | | Android app | Google Play lists the official Starlink app under Space Exploration Technologies Corp. | | Source retrieval date | March 23, 2026 | | Regional limit | This is a United States brief, while the supplied obstruction-help URL carries an `sb` regional path. Regional differences are not established by this source set. |

On this page

• [How should the proposed location be checked?](#how-should-the-proposed-location-be-checked)
• [What are the ground-mount and roof-mount boundaries?](#what-are-the-ground-mount-and-roof-mount-boundaries)
• [What does the obstruction map establish?](#what-does-the-obstruction-map-establish)
• [Which manufacturer guidance should be rechecked?](#which-manufacturer-guidance-should-be-rechecked)
• [FAQ](#faq)

How should the proposed location be checked?

Use the Starlink app's obstruction-checking feature at the proposed installation location. For Standard4 hardware, the official Standard4 kit installation guide directs the reader to select a location with a clear view of the sky and use the obstruction scan before mounting.

This pre-mount scan is the first decision in a Starlink installation. After the location check, the DIY Starlink setup guide covers kit assembly and a temporary placement before a permanent mount.

Pre-installation checklist

1. On Android, obtain the Starlink app from the Google Play listing published by Space Exploration Technologies Corp.
2. Take the phone to the proposed antenna location without climbing onto a roof.
3. Run the app's obstruction check before mounting the Standard4 kit.
4. Review the obstruction map and identify which portions of the required sky view are marked as obstructed or available.
5. Use that result to assess whether the proposed location provides the clear sky view specified in the Standard4 guide.

The eligible evidence does not provide a supported obstruction threshold, outage estimate, scan duration, or color-key description. This draft therefore does not supply those details.

What are the ground-mount and roof-mount boundaries?

The supported rule is to evaluate the proposed installation location before mounting. This guide assumes that the intended antenna position can be represented while the reader remains safely on the ground.

Ground-mount assumption: Run the scan at the proposed location when it can be reached without climbing.

Roof-mount boundary: Do not climb onto a roof based on this article. It contains no instructions for ladders, fall protection, structural assessment, grounding, or permits. If evaluating the intended roof position requires leaving the ground, stop and seek qualified installation help.

A ground-level scan is not presented here as proof of conditions at a different roof position. The supplied eligible sources do not establish a separate roof-evaluation procedure.

What does the obstruction map establish?

The map distinguishes obstructed portions of the antenna's required sky view from portions available to it. It does not, within the eligible evidence supplied for this draft, establish a numeric pass threshold or predict service interruptions. For a wider discussion of trees, buildings, and later diagnosis, see the published Starlink obstructions overview.

| Map information | Supported interpretation | | --- | --- | | Obstructed portion | Part of the required sky view is identified as obstructed. | | Available portion | Part of the required sky view is identified as available to the antenna. |

Use the map together with the Standard4 requirement for a clear sky view. Do not infer unsupported percentages, performance estimates, or guarantees from this draft.

Which manufacturer guidance should be rechecked?

Before use with changed hardware, recheck these manufacturer-controlled resources:

• Starlink Help Center guidance for obstruction checking
• The official Standard4 kit installation guide for the clear-sky and pre-mount scan instructions
• Starlink obstruction-map interpretation guidance
• The Google Play publisher listing when obtaining the Android app

The kit-specific installation evidence supplied here covers Standard4. Instructions for another hardware generation, including its current app flow and field-of-view requirements, remain outside this draft's supported scope.

FAQ

Should the obstruction scan happen before mounting?

Yes for the Standard4 workflow documented here. The official installation guide says to seek a clear sky view and use the obstruction scan before mounting the kit.

What can the obstruction map tell me?

It distinguishes obstructed portions of the required sky view from portions available to the antenna. The eligible sources supplied here do not support adding a numeric pass threshold.

Where can an Android household obtain the official app?

Google Play lists the Starlink app with Space Exploration Technologies Corp. as its publisher. This source set does not include an eligible iOS store claim.

Does this procedure cover every Starlink kit?

No. The kit-specific installation guide in the eligible evidence covers Standard4, so this draft does not extend its workflow to other hardware generations.

Do I need to climb onto the roof to run the check?

Not under this guide. Its safety boundary is a ground-accessible preliminary check; it provides no roof-access procedure.