Adding a Basemap in QGIS

Basemaps can be helpful reference points when working with spatial data.

How to add a basemap to your project

1. Open a new QGIS project.
2. In the left-hand browser menu, locate XYZ Tiles → OpenStreetMap.

   OpenStreetMap base tiles are built in to QGIS.

3. Drag OpenStreetMap into the Map Canvas.
4. Zoom in to the desired location by selecting the Zoom In menu item, and clicking and dragging on the Map Canvas.

Tips

• To add other styles of basemap not included by default in the QGIS install, you can run a Google search about the latest QGIS plugins for basemaps. Here is a 2018 article about using basemap plugin Quick Map Services for additional basemap styles.