Map Tiles API release notes

  • This page provides updates and release notes for the Google Maps Tiles API, including new features, bug fixes, and performance improvements.

  • The Google Maps Tiles API offers Photorealistic 3D, 2D, and Street View tiles for creating custom map visualizations.

  • The API is generally available and users can find setup instructions and release details through provided links.

  • The quota limit for Photorealistic 3D tiles has been significantly increased.
This page is updated with each product release. The changelog lists releases by date and includes any new features, bug fixes and significant performance improvements. You can also browse and filter all release notes for all products in the Google API Console.

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See the Getting Started documentation for information on how to get started using the Map Tiles API.

May 21, 2026

Change

The default daily quota for 2D Map Tiles (2D Tiles requests per day per project) has been significantly increased to better support developer needs.

  • Old Default: 15,000 queries per day (QPD)
  • New Default: 100,000 QPD

This update is designed to meet the requirements of the majority of Google Maps Platform developers by providing a more generous baseline capacity for 2D Map Tiles. By raising the initial limit, developers can scale their applications and increase adoption. Most standard use cases will no longer require a quota increase request, but feel free to request a higher limit if needed to support your project's growth.

Note that while the default limit has increased, you maintain full control over your project's usage:

  • Reducing Limits: If you wish to cap your usage at a lower level to manage costs or prevent unexpected traffic spikes, you can set a quota override (also known as a consumer override).
  • How to Apply: You can create and manage these overrides directly in the Google Cloud Console on the Quotas & System Limits page. Setting a manual override allows you to define a specific limit that takes precedence over the default value.

March 16, 2026

Change

As noted on 2026-02-10, the 2D Tiles and Street View Tiles quota bucket was split into 2D Tiles and Street View Tiles.

As of today, the old 2D Tiles and Street View Tiles quota bucket is decommissioned and will no longer appear in the Google Cloud Console.

If you require a higher limit for 2D or Street View tiles, please request it on one of the new respective buckets.

February 10, 2026

Change

The single quota bucket for all 2D tile types, namely 2D Tiles and Street View Tiles is now split into two new quota buckets:

  • 2D Tiles: For all roadmap, satellite, and terrain tile requests
  • Street View Tiles: For all Street View image tile requests

The new quota buckets are already active and enforced. Tile API requests currently consume quota from both the old and the new quota buckets.

The old combined bucket will be phased out no sooner than March 10, 2026, and will no longer be visible in the Google Cloud console. Please take the necessary actions by that date:

  • Custom quota limits: If you've previously set a quota override for the combined 2D Tiles and Street View Tiles quota bucket, this override has been copied to the new 2D Tiles and Street View Tiles buckets. Please verify them.
  • Quota alerts: If you have set up quota alerts for the combined 2D Tiles and Street View Tiles quota bucket, you will need to create similar alerts for the new buckets to continue receiving notifications.

  • If your project has used 2D tiles within the last 30 days: the increased quota was automatically applied to the new 2D Tiles bucket.

  • If your project has used Street View tiles within the last 30 days: the increased quota was applied to the new Street View Tiles bucket.

  • If your project has used both 2D tiles and Street View tiles within the last 30 days: the increased quota was applied to the 2D Tiles and new Street View Tiles buckets.

Otherwise, the default quota limits will apply to the new 2D and Street View Tiles buckets. You can request higher quota limits through the standard process if needed.

May 05, 2025

Change

The Map Tiles API is making changes to its API response. These changes will go into effect Jun 9, 2025:

  • 3D Tiles will continue to be in the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standard glTF format. Renderer implementations must continue to support the OGC glTF specification, and accept any specification-compliant tiles. Any assumption of the existence of structures outside of this format, or reliance on undocumented details, can result in your application breaking.
  • root.json will now contain the root tile itself, instead of a link to the root tileset. Moving forward, one HTTP request will be required to begin traversing the tree, instead of two.
  • The extras field ("extras":{"comment":"path = "}}]}) will be removed from responses.

You can preview the changes to the response using https://tile.googleapis.com/v1/3dtiles/datasets/CgIYAQ/root?key=<api_key> and compare to the current output of https://tile.googleapis.com/v1/3dtiles/root?key=<api_key>.

May 13, 2024

Announcement

The quota limit for Photorealistic 3D Tiles is increasing from 300 to 10,000 root tileset requests per day.

October 26, 2023

Announcement

Announcing the General Availability (GA) release of the Maps Tiles API. See the Release Notes for information about this release and for all other releases.

If you are a new user, see Set Up in the Google Cloud Console to start the installation process.

September 14, 2023

Announcement

The Map Tiles API is now available in Preview. The Map Tiles API allows you to build immersive, customized map visualizations using high-resolution Photorealistic 3D Tiles, 2D Tiles, and Street View Tiles.