diff --git a/src/components/gameplay/CacheCardItem.js b/src/components/gameplay/CacheCardItem.js
index b3ffcd4..519fb1e 100644
--- a/src/components/gameplay/CacheCardItem.js
+++ b/src/components/gameplay/CacheCardItem.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import {StyleSheet, Text, View} from 'react-native';
 import Card from '../UI/Card';
 import {Button} from '../UI/Button';
 
-const CacheCardItem = ({cache, isAdmin, isClaimed, isSelected, onEdit, onDelete, onSelect}) => {
+const CacheCardItem = ({cache, isAdmin, isClaimed, isSelected, onEdit, onDelete, onSelect, disabled}) => {
 //   Initialisation -------------
 
     const displayName = cache.name || cache.clue || 'Unnamed Cache';
@@ -12,16 +12,16 @@ const CacheCardItem = ({cache, isAdmin, isClaimed, isSelected, onEdit, onDelete,
 //   View -----------------------
 
     return (
-        <Card style={[isSelected && styles.selectedCard, isClaimed && styles.claimedCard]}>
+        <Card style={[isSelected && styles.selectedCard, isClaimed && styles.claimedCard, disabled && styles.disabledCard]}>
             <View style={styles.topRow}>
                 <View style={styles.nameWrap}>
-                    <Text style={[styles.name, isClaimed && styles.claimedText]} numberOfLines={1}>{displayName}</Text>
+                    <Text style={[styles.name, isClaimed && styles.claimedText, disabled && styles.disabledText]} numberOfLines={1}>{displayName}</Text>
                     {cache.name ? (
                         <Text style={styles.clue} numberOfLines={1}>{cache.clue}</Text>
                     ) : null}
                 </View>
                 {/* Players see team-specific claim status; admins see no status */}
-                {!isAdmin && (
+                {!isAdmin && !disabled && (
                     <Text style={[styles.status, {color: isClaimed ? '#9ca3af' : '#16a34a'}]}>
                         {isClaimed ? 'Claimed' : 'Available'}
                     </Text>
@@ -43,6 +43,14 @@ const CacheCardItem = ({cache, isAdmin, isClaimed, isSelected, onEdit, onDelete,
                             styleLabel={styles.btnLabel}
                         />
                     </>
+                ) : disabled ? (
+                    <Button
+                        label="Join a Team First"
+                        onClick={() => {}}
+                        disabled={true}
+                        styleButton={styles.claimedBtn}
+                        styleLabel={styles.claimedBtnLabel}
+                    />
                 ) : isClaimed ? (
                     <Button
                         label="Already Claimed"
@@ -123,6 +131,8 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create({
     selectedBtnLabel: {color: '#ffffff', fontWeight: '600', fontSize: 13},
     selectedCard: {borderColor: '#2563eb', borderWidth: 2},
     claimedCard: {opacity: 0.5},
+    disabledCard: {opacity: 0.45},
+    disabledText: {color: '#9ca3af'},
     btnLabel: {color: '#ffffff', fontWeight: '600', fontSize: 13},
 });
 
diff --git a/src/components/gameplay/PlayerMapView.js b/src/components/gameplay/PlayerMapView.js
index 0c740e2..9617411 100644
--- a/src/components/gameplay/PlayerMapView.js
+++ b/src/components/gameplay/PlayerMapView.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import React from 'react';
+import {Platform, StyleSheet, View} from 'react-native';
 import MapView, {Circle, Marker, Polygon} from 'react-native-maps';
 import {getFovCone} from '../../utils/geoMath';
 
@@ -10,9 +11,8 @@ const PlayerMapView = ({userLocation, visibleCaches, heading, claimDistance}) =>
 
     if (!userLocation) return null;
 
-    const coneCoords = (heading !== null && heading !== undefined)
-        ? getFovCone(userLocation, heading)
-        : null;
+    const hasHeading = heading !== null && heading !== undefined;
+    const coneCoords = hasHeading ? getFovCone(userLocation, heading) : null;
 
     return (
         <MapView
@@ -24,14 +24,20 @@ const PlayerMapView = ({userLocation, visibleCaches, heading, claimDistance}) =>
             pitchEnabled={false}
             showsUserLocation
         >
-            {/* Show cache markers for all caches currently inside the FOV cone */}
+            {/* Cache markers — uses a custom View instead of pinColor so the
+                marker renders identically on Apple Maps (iOS) and Google Maps */}
             {(visibleCaches || []).map((cache) => (
                 <React.Fragment key={cache.id}>
                     <Marker
                         coordinate={cache.coordinates}
                         title={cache.clue}
-                        pinColor="#facc15"
-                    />
+                        anchor={{x: 0.5, y: 0.5}}
+                        tracksViewChanges={Platform.OS === 'ios'}
+                    >
+                        <View style={styles.markerOuter}>
+                            <View style={styles.markerInner} />
+                        </View>
+                    </Marker>
                     <Circle
                         center={cache.coordinates}
                         radius={claimDistance}
@@ -40,6 +46,7 @@ const PlayerMapView = ({userLocation, visibleCaches, heading, claimDistance}) =>
                     />
                 </React.Fragment>
             ))}
+            {/* FOV cone when heading is available */}
             {coneCoords && (
                 <Polygon
                     coordinates={coneCoords}
@@ -48,8 +55,39 @@ const PlayerMapView = ({userLocation, visibleCaches, heading, claimDistance}) =>
                     strokeWidth={1}
                 />
             )}
+            {/* Proximity circle when heading is NOT available (iOS fallback) */}
+            {!hasHeading && claimDistance > 0 && (
+                <Circle
+                    center={userLocation}
+                    radius={claimDistance}
+                    fillColor="rgba(66,133,244,0.12)"
+                    strokeColor="rgba(66,133,244,0.40)"
+                />
+            )}
         </MapView>
     );
 };
 
+const styles = StyleSheet.create({
+    markerOuter: {
+        width: 26,
+        height: 26,
+        alignItems: 'center',
+        justifyContent: 'center',
+    },
+    markerInner: {
+        width: 18,
+        height: 18,
+        borderRadius: 9,
+        backgroundColor: '#f59e0b',
+        borderWidth: 2.5,
+        borderColor: '#ffffff',
+        shadowColor: '#000000',
+        shadowOffset: {width: 0, height: 1},
+        shadowOpacity: 0.3,
+        shadowRadius: 2,
+        elevation: 3,
+    },
+});
+
 export default PlayerMapView;
diff --git a/src/components/screens/ExpandedMapScreen.js b/src/components/screens/ExpandedMapScreen.js
index a5c7193..1530841 100644
--- a/src/components/screens/ExpandedMapScreen.js
+++ b/src/components/screens/ExpandedMapScreen.js
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import React, {useEffect, useState} from 'react';
-import {StyleSheet, View} from 'react-native';
+import {Platform, StyleSheet, View} from 'react-native';
 import MapView, {Circle, Marker, Polygon} from 'react-native-maps';
 import * as Location from 'expo-location';
 import Screen from '../layout/Screen';
-import {getFovCone, isInClaimCone} from '../../utils/geoMath';
+import {getFovCone, isInClaimCone, isWithinRadius} from '../../utils/geoMath';
 
 const DEFAULT_REGION = {latitude: 51.5074, longitude: -0.1278, latitudeDelta: 0.01, longitudeDelta: 0.01};
 
@@ -66,13 +66,19 @@ const ExpandedMapScreen = ({route}) => {
 
 //   View -----------------------
 
-    const coneCoords = (userLocation && heading !== null)
+    const hasHeading = heading !== null;
+    const coneCoords = (userLocation && hasHeading)
         ? getFovCone(userLocation, heading)
         : null;
 
-    // For players, show caches that currently fall within the FOV cone
-    const visiblePlayerCaches = (!isAdmin && userLocation && heading !== null)
-        ? caches.filter((c) => isInClaimCone(heading, userLocation, c.coordinates, claimDistance))
+    // For players — when heading is available use FOV cone, otherwise fall back
+    // to proximity-only so the expanded map works on iPhones without compass data
+    const visiblePlayerCaches = (!isAdmin && userLocation)
+        ? caches.filter((c) =>
+            hasHeading
+                ? isInClaimCone(heading, userLocation, c.coordinates, claimDistance)
+                : isWithinRadius(userLocation, c.coordinates, claimDistance),
+        )
         : [];
 
     return (
@@ -89,8 +95,13 @@ const ExpandedMapScreen = ({route}) => {
                             <Marker
                                 coordinate={cache.coordinates}
                                 title={cache.name || cache.clue}
-                                pinColor="#2563eb"
-                            />
+                                anchor={{x: 0.5, y: 0.5}}
+                                tracksViewChanges={Platform.OS === 'ios'}
+                            >
+                                <View style={styles.adminMarkerOuter}>
+                                    <View style={styles.adminMarkerInner} />
+                                </View>
+                            </Marker>
                             <Circle
                                 center={cache.coordinates}
                                 radius={claimDistance}
@@ -99,14 +110,19 @@ const ExpandedMapScreen = ({route}) => {
                             />
                         </React.Fragment>
                     ))}
-                    {/* Players only see caches that are inside the FOV cone */}
+                    {/* Players — custom View markers for Apple Maps compatibility */}
                     {!isAdmin && visiblePlayerCaches.map((cache) => (
                         <React.Fragment key={cache.id}>
                             <Marker
                                 coordinate={cache.coordinates}
                                 title={cache.clue}
-                                pinColor="#facc15"
-                            />
+                                anchor={{x: 0.5, y: 0.5}}
+                                tracksViewChanges={Platform.OS === 'ios'}
+                            >
+                                <View style={styles.cacheMarkerOuter}>
+                                    <View style={styles.cacheMarkerInner} />
+                                </View>
+                            </Marker>
                             <Circle
                                 center={cache.coordinates}
                                 radius={claimDistance}
@@ -124,6 +140,15 @@ const ExpandedMapScreen = ({route}) => {
                             strokeWidth={1}
                         />
                     )}
+                    {/* Proximity circle when heading is unavailable (iOS fallback) */}
+                    {!isAdmin && userLocation && !hasHeading && claimDistance > 0 && (
+                        <Circle
+                            center={userLocation}
+                            radius={claimDistance}
+                            fillColor="rgba(66,133,244,0.12)"
+                            strokeColor="rgba(66,133,244,0.40)"
+                        />
+                    )}
                 </MapView>
             </View>
         </Screen>
@@ -133,6 +158,20 @@ const ExpandedMapScreen = ({route}) => {
 const styles = StyleSheet.create({
     container: {padding: 0},
     mapWrap: {flex: 1},
+    // Admin cache markers — blue dot
+    adminMarkerOuter: {width: 26, height: 26, alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center'},
+    adminMarkerInner: {
+        width: 18, height: 18, borderRadius: 9,
+        backgroundColor: '#2563eb', borderWidth: 2.5, borderColor: '#ffffff',
+        shadowColor: '#000', shadowOffset: {width: 0, height: 1}, shadowOpacity: 0.3, shadowRadius: 2, elevation: 3,
+    },
+    // Player cache markers — orange dot
+    cacheMarkerOuter: {width: 26, height: 26, alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center'},
+    cacheMarkerInner: {
+        width: 18, height: 18, borderRadius: 9,
+        backgroundColor: '#f59e0b', borderWidth: 2.5, borderColor: '#ffffff',
+        shadowColor: '#000', shadowOffset: {width: 0, height: 1}, shadowOpacity: 0.3, shadowRadius: 2, elevation: 3,
+    },
 });
 
 export default ExpandedMapScreen;
diff --git a/src/components/screens/MapScreen.js b/src/components/screens/MapScreen.js
index cd6f9a7..d9de292 100644
--- a/src/components/screens/MapScreen.js
+++ b/src/components/screens/MapScreen.js
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ const MapScreen = ({navigation}) => {
 
     const isPlayer = inGame && !isAdmin;
 
+    // Teams are required but the player hasn't joined one — block all claiming
+    const requiresTeam = Boolean(isPlayer && groupInfo?.TeamsEnabled && !session.currentTid);
+
     // Stable empty array — avoids creating a new reference on every render
     // which would trigger an infinite re-render loop in usePlayerGame
     const EMPTY_CACHES = useMemo(() => [], []);
@@ -70,10 +73,11 @@ const MapScreen = ({navigation}) => {
         });
     }, [cacheRecords, isPlayer, session.currentTid, session.currentUid, EMPTY_CACHES]);
 
+    // When requiresTeam is true pass null/empty so usePlayerGame is inert
     const {visibleCaches, isClaiming, setIsClaiming} = usePlayerGame(
-        isPlayer ? userLocation : null,
-        isPlayer ? heading : null,
-        activeCachesForPlayer,
+        (isPlayer && !requiresTeam) ? userLocation : null,
+        (isPlayer && !requiresTeam) ? heading : null,
+        requiresTeam ? EMPTY_CACHES : activeCachesForPlayer,
         claimDistance,
     );
 
@@ -516,13 +520,12 @@ const MapScreen = ({navigation}) => {
     }
 
     // Player in game — use the first visible cache for the claim timer
-    const teamsWarning = groupInfo?.TeamsEnabled && !session.currentTid;
     const claimTarget = visibleCaches.length > 0 ? visibleCaches[0] : null;
 
     return (
         <Screen style={styles.containerMap}>
-            {teamsWarning && (
-                <Text style={styles.warning}>You are not in a team. Teams are required for this game!</Text>
+            {requiresTeam && (
+                <Text style={styles.warning}>You are not in a team. Join a team to start claiming caches!</Text>
             )}
             <View style={styles.mapContainer}>
                 <PlayerMapView
@@ -535,12 +538,14 @@ const MapScreen = ({navigation}) => {
                     <Text style={styles.expandIcon}>⛶</Text>
                 </Pressable>
             </View>
-            <ClaimTimerView
-                cache={claimTarget}
-                isClaiming={isClaiming}
-                onClaimSuccess={handleClaim}
-                showClaimedPopup={claimedPopupVisible}
-            />
+            {!requiresTeam && (
+                <ClaimTimerView
+                    cache={claimTarget}
+                    isClaiming={isClaiming}
+                    onClaimSuccess={handleClaim}
+                    showClaimedPopup={claimedPopupVisible}
+                />
+            )}
             <View style={styles.cacheSection}>
                 <ScrollView>
                     {cacheRecords.map((cache) => {
@@ -551,8 +556,9 @@ const MapScreen = ({navigation}) => {
                                 cache={cache}
                                 isAdmin={false}
                                 isClaimed={claimed}
-                                isSelected={!claimed && selectedCacheId === cache.id}
-                                onSelect={claimed ? undefined : handleSelectCache}
+                                isSelected={!claimed && !requiresTeam && selectedCacheId === cache.id}
+                                onSelect={(claimed || requiresTeam) ? undefined : handleSelectCache}
+                                disabled={requiresTeam}
                             />
                         );
                     })}
diff --git a/src/hooks/usePlayerGame.js b/src/hooks/usePlayerGame.js
index 7e5601e..401020d 100644
--- a/src/hooks/usePlayerGame.js
+++ b/src/hooks/usePlayerGame.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import {useEffect, useRef, useState} from 'react';
-import {isInClaimCone} from '../utils/geoMath';
+import {isInClaimCone, isWithinRadius} from '../utils/geoMath';
 
 const usePlayerGame = (playerLocation, playerHeading, activeCaches, claimDistance) => {
 //   State ----------------------
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ const usePlayerGame = (playerLocation, playerHeading, activeCaches, claimDistanc
 //   Handlers -------------------
 
     useEffect(() => {
-        if (!playerLocation || playerHeading === null || playerHeading === undefined) {
+        // No location at all — clear everything
+        if (!playerLocation) {
             if (prevIdsRef.current !== '') {
                 prevIdsRef.current = '';
                 setVisibleCaches([]);
@@ -20,17 +21,24 @@ const usePlayerGame = (playerLocation, playerHeading, activeCaches, claimDistanc
             return;
         }
 
-        // Find all caches that fall inside the claim cone
-        const inCone = (activeCaches || []).filter((cache) =>
-            isInClaimCone(playerHeading, playerLocation, cache.coordinates, claimDistance)
+        const hasHeading = playerHeading !== null && playerHeading !== undefined;
+
+        // When heading is available use the full FOV cone check.
+        // When heading is NOT available (common on iOS / Apple Maps where the
+        // compass may be delayed or unavailable) fall back to proximity-only so
+        // iPhone users can still discover and claim caches within range.
+        const nearby = (activeCaches || []).filter((cache) =>
+            hasHeading
+                ? isInClaimCone(playerHeading, playerLocation, cache.coordinates, claimDistance)
+                : isWithinRadius(playerLocation, cache.coordinates, claimDistance),
         );
 
         // Only update state when the set of visible caches actually changes
-        const newIds = inCone.map((c) => c.id).join(',');
+        const newIds = nearby.map((c) => c.id).join(',');
         if (newIds !== prevIdsRef.current) {
             prevIdsRef.current = newIds;
-            setVisibleCaches(inCone);
-            setIsClaiming(inCone.length > 0);
+            setVisibleCaches(nearby);
+            setIsClaiming(nearby.length > 0);
         }
     }, [playerLocation, playerHeading, activeCaches, claimDistance]);