---
title: "How to publish a map to the web"
description: "Publish a map so people can open it without signing in. Choose Public, Link-only, or Password mode, then copy the link. Changes save as soon as you make them."
sidebar:
  label: "Publish to the web"
search:
  keywords: [make public, share link, public url]
---

Publishing a map to the web lets people open it without signing in. Choose one of three modes: `Public` is listable on your portal and indexable by search engines, `Link-only` is unlisted with a private link, and `Password` adds a shared password on top of the public link. Manual passwords need at least 6 characters. Regenerating a private link invalidates the old one. Turning `Allow public access` off also clears `Show in public portal` and `Allow search engine indexing`.

## Before you start

- You need permission to share the map. Share access follows edit access.
- Decide whether to list the map publicly or share it by direct link.
- If you use `Password` mode, prepare a password with at least 6 characters.

## Open web publishing

Open the map. In the sidebar, under the map's name, click `Configuration`, then click `Access`.

In `Publish to web`, turn on `Allow public access`. The screen shows `Publishing mode`. Each change saves as soon as you make it.

## Publish a public map

Choose `Public` when anyone with the public link can view the map.

1. Select `Public`.
2. Copy the `Public link`.
3. Turn on `Show in public portal` if the map should appear in the public map directory.
4. Turn on `Allow search engine indexing` if search engines should be allowed to index the map.

<img src="/_assets/map-access/publish-map-to-web--public.png" alt="Publish to web with Allow public access on, Publishing mode set to Public, the Public link with its copy button, and Show in public portal and Allow search engine indexing on" width="1600" height="960" />

Only `Public` maps with `Show in public portal` enabled appear in the public portal listing.

## Publish a link-only map

Choose `Link-only` when anyone with a private link can view the map, but the map should not appear in the public portal or search engines.

1. Select `Link-only`.
2. Copy the `Private link`.
3. Send the private link to viewers who should have access.

<img src="/_assets/map-access/publish-map-to-web--link-only.png" alt="Publish to web with Publishing mode set to Link-only, the note Anyone with the private link can view. Not listed. Not indexed., and the Private link with its copy and regenerate buttons" width="1600" height="960" />

`Link-only` maps are unlisted and not indexed.

## Publish a password-protected map

Choose `Password` when viewers should need both a link and a password.

1. Select `Password`.
2. Copy the `Public link`.
3. Enter or confirm the `Password`.
4. Send viewers both the public link and the password.

<img src="/_assets/map-access/publish-map-to-web--password.png" alt="Publish to web with Publishing mode set to Password, the note URL and password required. Not listed. Not indexed., the Public link, and the masked Password field with its show button" width="1600" height="960" />

Manual passwords must be at least 6 characters. `Password` maps are unlisted and not indexed.

## Regenerate a private link

Use `Regenerate link` only when the current private link should stop working.

> [!WARNING]
> `Regenerate link` breaks the old private link and every embed that uses it. You cannot undo it.

1. In `Link-only` mode, click `Regenerate link`.
2. Read the `Regenerate Private Link` confirmation dialog.
3. Click `Regenerate Link`.
4. Share the new `Private link`.

Regenerating creates a new private link and invalidates the old one. Anyone using the old link can no longer access the map.

## Take a map offline

Turn off `Allow public access` to restrict the map to signed-in users with permission.

MangoMap also turns off `Show in public portal` and `Allow search engine indexing` when web access is turned off.

## Troubleshooting

**The map is not showing in the public portal.** Confirm the map is in `Public` mode and `Show in public portal` is on. See [Map is not showing in the public portal](/docs/portals/troubleshoot-map-not-in-public-portal).

**The private link no longer works.** The link may have been regenerated. See [Private link no longer works](/docs/map-access/troubleshoot-private-link-not-working).

**The password does not work.** Confirm the map is in `Password` mode and the viewer has the current password. See [Map password is not working](/docs/map-access/troubleshoot-map-password-not-working).

## Related

- [Map access settings](/docs/map-access/map-access-settings)
- [Choose how to share a map](/docs/map-access/choose-how-to-share-a-map)
- [How map access works in MangoMap](/docs/map-access/concepts-map-access)
- [How to configure map access](/docs/map-access/configure-map-access)
- [How to share a map with groups](/docs/map-access/share-map-with-groups)
- [How to embed a map in another website](/docs/map-access/embed-a-map) — for putting a published map into another website via iframe.
- [How to share a map as a PDF](/docs/map-access/share-map-as-pdf) — for sharing a static snapshot instead of a live link.

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