How to obtain your own mapping/geocoding key
To get a Google Maps API key:
- Go to https://console.cloud.google.com/google/maps-apis/start. Sign in if you are not already logged into a Google account.
- Select your country and agree to Google's Terms & Conditions. You'll also need to enter a credit card number to prove that you're a real human being. (You can skip the survey asking which industry you're in.)
- Google will create a new API Key for you, and there's a checkbox to enable all of the Google Maps APIs by default; you probably want that box checked. (If you want to disable some of them later, click on Enabled APIs in the sidebar.)
- To check on your newly-created API Key (or make another one), click on Credentials in the sidebar or navigate to https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials.
- To make a new key, click +Create Credentials and then select API Key. To edit an existing key, click the "three dots" icon on the right side of the list of keys.
- If you are only going to use the key to make maps for personal use or convert routes with GPS Visualizer, you can set Application restrictions to None. But if you're concerned about someone potentially "stealing" your map key, you can set it to only allow certain HTTP referers, and enter https://www.gpsvisualizer.com/* as one of the allowed sites under Website restrictions.
- If you needed a key to "fix" a GPS Visualizer map that no longer works without one, open your map in a text editor and look for var google_api_key = ''; and insert your key (with NO spaces) between the quotes. (Also, search for file:// and replace it with xxxx:// if you find it.)
To get a Bing Maps API key:
- Go to http://www.bingmapsportal.com/, and sign in with your Microsoft account (or create a new account).
- Click on "My Account," then "My Keys."
- Enter your name or company as the Application name, and select "Basic" as your key type and "Website" as the application type.
- Your new key will appear on the "My keys" page; it will be 64 characters long and will probably begin with "A".