Set up an Android Studio project

This page describes how to configure an Android Studio project to use the Maps SDK for Android without using the Google Maps template that is detailed in the Quickstart.

The Google Maps template automatically configures and adds a basic map to a new Android Studio project. However, you can also add a map to an Android project that uses a different Android Studio template. To do so, you need to manually configure your project and then add the map.

Step 1: Set up Android Studio

This document describes a development environment using Android Studio Hedgehog and the Android Gradle plugin version 8.2.

Note: If your development environment uses a different version of Android Studio or Gradle you might have to modify the steps based on those versions. For more information about Android Studio and Gradle versions, see Android Gradle plugin and Android Studio compatibility.

Step 2. Set up the SDK

The Maps SDK for Android library is available through Google's Maven repository. To add the SDK to your app, do the following:

1. In your top-level settings.gradle.kts file, include the Gradle plugin portal, Google Maven repository, and Maven central repository under the pluginManagement block. The pluginManagement block must appear before any other statements in the script.

   pluginManagement {
       repositories {
           gradlePluginPortal()
           google()
           mavenCentral()
       }
   } 

2. In your top-level settings.gradle.kts file, include the Google's Maven repository and Maven central repository under the dependencyResolutionManagement block:

   dependencyResolutionManagement {
       repositoriesMode.set(RepositoriesMode.FAIL_ON_PROJECT_REPOS)
       repositories {
           google()
           mavenCentral()
       }
   } 

3. In your module-level build.gradle.kts or build.gradle file, add the Google Play services dependency for the Maps SDK for Android.

   Kotlin

   dependencies {
   
       // Maps SDK for Android
       implementation("com.google.android.gms:play-services-maps:19.0.0")
   }

   Groovy

   dependencies {
   
       // Maps SDK for Android
       implementation "com.google.android.gms:play-services-maps:19.0.0"
   }

4. In your module-level build.gradle.kts or build.gradle file, set compileSdk and minSdk to the following values:
   Note: Ensure that compileSdk is set to 34 or higher and minSdk is set to 21 or higher.

   Kotlin

   android {
       compileSdk = 34
   
       defaultConfig {
           minSdk = 21
           // ...
       }
   }

   Groovy

   android {
       compileSdk 34
   
       defaultConfig {
           minSdk 21
           // ...
       }
   }

5. In the buildFeatures section of your module-level build.gradle.kts or build.gradle file, add the BuildConfig class, which you can use to access metadata values defined later in this procedure:

   Kotlin

   android {
     // ...
     buildFeatures {
       buildConfig = true
       // ...
     }
   }

   Groovy

   android {
     // ...
     buildFeatures {
       buildConfig true
       // ...
     }
   }

Step 3: Add your API key to the project

This section describes how to store your API key so that it can be securely referenced by your app. You should not check your API key into your version control system, so we recommend storing it in the secrets.properties file, which is located in the root directory of your project. For more information about the secrets.properties file, see Gradle properties files.

To streamline this task, we recommend that you use the Secrets Gradle Plugin for Android.

Note: See the Secrets Gradle Plugin for Android documentation on GitHub for the latest system requirements and installation instructions.

To install the Secrets Gradle Plugin for Android in your Google Maps project:

1. In Android Studio, open your top-level build.gradle.kts or build.gradle file and add the following code to the dependencies element under buildscript.

   Kotlin

   buildscript {
       dependencies {
           classpath("com.google.android.libraries.mapsplatform.secrets-gradle-plugin:secrets-gradle-plugin:2.0.1")
       }
   }

   Groovy

   buildscript {
       dependencies {
           classpath "com.google.android.libraries.mapsplatform.secrets-gradle-plugin:secrets-gradle-plugin:2.0.1"
       }
   }

2. Open your module-level build.gradle.kts or build.gradle file and add the following code to the plugins element.

   Kotlin

   plugins {
       // ...
       id("com.google.android.libraries.mapsplatform.secrets-gradle-plugin")
   }

   Groovy

   plugins {
       // ...
       id 'com.google.android.libraries.mapsplatform.secrets-gradle-plugin'
   }

3. In your module-level build.gradle.kts or build.gradle file, ensure that targetSdk and compileSdk are set to 34.
4. Save the file and sync your project with Gradle.
5. Open the secrets.properties file in your top-level directory, and then add the following code. Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your API key. Store your key in this file because secrets.properties is excluded from being checked into a version control system.
   Note: If the secrets.properties file does not exist, create it in the same folder as the local.properties file.

   MAPS_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY

6. Save the file.

7. Create the local.defaults.properties file in your top-level directory, the same folder as the secrets.properties file, and then add the following code.

   Note: Enter the code as shown. Don't replace DEFAULT_API_KEY with your API key.

   MAPS_API_KEY=DEFAULT_API_KEY

   The purpose of this file is to provide a backup location for the API key if the secrets.properties file is not found so that builds don't fail. This can happen if you clone the app from a version control system which omits secrets.properties and you have not yet created a secrets.properties file locally to provide your API key.

8. Save the file.
9. In your AndroidManifest.xml file, go to com.google.android.geo.API_KEY and update the android:value attribute. If the <meta-data> tag does not exist, create it as a child of the <application> tag.

   <meta-data
       android:name="com.google.android.geo.API_KEY"
       android:value="${MAPS_API_KEY}" />

   Note: com.google.android.geo.API_KEY is the recommended metadata name for the API key. A key with this name can be used to authenticate to multiple Google Maps-based APIs on the Android platform, including the Maps SDK for Android. For backwards compatibility, the API also supports the name com.google.android.maps.v2.API_KEY. This legacy name allows authentication to the Android Maps API v2 only. An application can specify only one of the API key metadata names. If both are specified, the API throws an exception.

10. In Android Studio, open your module-level build.gradle.kts or build.gradle file and edit the secrets property. If the secrets property does not exist, add it.

    Edit the properties of the plugin to set propertiesFileName to secrets.properties, set defaultPropertiesFileName to local.defaults.properties, and set any other properties.

    Kotlin

    secrets {
        // To add your Maps API key to this project:
        // 1. If the secrets.properties file does not exist, create it in the same folder as the local.properties file.
        // 2. Add this line, where YOUR_API_KEY is your API key:
        //        MAPS_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY
        propertiesFileName = "secrets.properties"
    
        // A properties file containing default secret values. This file can be
        // checked in version control.
        defaultPropertiesFileName = "local.defaults.properties"
    
        // Configure which keys should be ignored by the plugin by providing regular expressions.
        // "sdk.dir" is ignored by default.
        ignoreList.add("keyToIgnore") // Ignore the key "keyToIgnore"
        ignoreList.add("sdk.*")       // Ignore all keys matching the regexp "sdk.*"
    }
            

    Groovy

    secrets {
        // To add your Maps API key to this project:
        // 1. If the secrets.properties file does not exist, create it in the same folder as the local.properties file.
        // 2. Add this line, where YOUR_API_KEY is your API key:
        //        MAPS_API_KEY=YOUR_API_KEY
        propertiesFileName = "secrets.properties"
    
        // A properties file containing default secret values. This file can be
        // checked in version control.
        defaultPropertiesFileName = "local.defaults.properties"
    
        // Configure which keys should be ignored by the plugin by providing regular expressions.
        // "sdk.dir" is ignored by default.
        ignoreList.add("keyToIgnore") // Ignore the key "keyToIgnore"
        ignoreList.add("sdk.*")       // Ignore all keys matching the regexp "sdk.*"
    }
            

Step 4: Update the app manifest

This section describes the settings to add to your AndroidManifest.xml file.

Google Play services version number

Add the following declaration within the application element. This embeds the version of Google Play services that the app was compiled with.

<meta-data
    android:name="com.google.android.gms.version"
    android:value="@integer/google_play_services_version" />

Location permission

If your app needs to access the user's location, you need to request the location permission in your AndroidManifest.xml file. The options are ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, which provides the precise device location, and ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION, which is less precise. For details, see the location data guide.

Note: The quickstart has ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION enabled.

To request the ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION permission, add this code to the manifest element:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION"/>

External storage permission

If you're targeting version 8.3 or later of the Google Play services SDK, you don't need the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission. If you're targeting earlier versions of the Google Play services SDK, you must request the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission, in the manifest element.

<uses-permission
        android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />

Apache HTTP Legacy library

If you are using com.google.android.gms:play-services-maps:16.0.0 or below and your app is targeting API level 28 (Android 9.0) or above, you must include the following declaration within the <application> element of AndroidManifest.xml. Otherwise, skip this declaration.

<uses-library
    android:name="org.apache.http.legacy"
    android:required="false" />

Step 5: Set up an Android device

To run an app that uses the Maps SDK for Android, you must deploy it to an Android device or Android emulator that is based on Android 5.0 or higher and includes the Google APIs.

• To use an Android device, follow the instructions at Run apps on a hardware device.
• To use an Android emulator, you can create a virtual device and install the emulator by using the Android Virtual Device (AVD) Manager that comes with Android Studio.
  Note: If you choose to use an Android emulator, ensure that you choose a device with the Play icon, , displayed under the Play Store column. This icon indicates that these profiles are fully CTS compliant and may use system images that include the Play Store app:

  

Step 6: Optionally check for Play Service support

Maps SDK for Android requires that the device on which you deploy your app has the Google Play services installed. Google provides a method that you can call from your app to check. For more information, see Check whether Google Play services is installed.

Next steps

Once your project is configured, you can add a map.