Load a WMS-Layer

WMS stands for Web Map Service. WMS produces maps of spatially referenced data dynamically from geographic information. These maps are rendered in a pictorial format for example PNG, GIF or JPEG. The operations can be done using a standard web browser which submitt requests in form of a URL. The OGC WMS specification standardizes the way in which maps are requested by clients and the way that servers describe their data holdings.

Clients

A growing number of clients supporting WMS or WFS standards.

• ArcGIS
• Quantum GIS
• UDIG
• OpenLayes - pure javascript library for displying map data in most web browsers

Requests

There are differnt types of requests, but only two are required by any wms server:

• GetCapabilities - returns parameters about the WMS and the available layers
• GetMap - with parameters provided, returns a map image

Add WMS layer

If you want to integrate a WMS-Layer to QGIS 3 follow these steps:

1. Open Data Source Manager icon
2. Click WMS/WMTS.
3. Type a namme for the new WMS connection e.g. BKG DTK250(Digitale Topographische Karte 1:250,000, Bundesamt für Kartographie and Geodäsie, Frankfurt).
4. Type the URL : http://sg.geodatenzentrum.de/wms_dtk250

1. Click OK
2. Click Connect
3. Now a list of all downloadable layers appears.
4. Mark one of the layers and click Add

Add Google Maps layers

1. To add the Google Maps map service in QGIS 3 simply, go to XYZ Tiles in the Browser panel.
2. Right-click on XYZ Tiles and choose New Connection.
3. Enter the name for the WMS Service fo example: Google Satellite
4. Copy and paste the URL: https://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=m&x={x}&y={y}&z={z}
5. Adjust the maximum zoom level 19.
6. To view inside QGIS simply double-click or drag the XYZ Tile service to the layers panel.
7. Configure additional WMS connections in the same manner using the URLs of this table:

WMS Name	URL
Google Satellite	https://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=s&x={x}&y={y}&z={z}
Google Streets	https://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=m&x={x}&y={y}&z={z}
Google Terrain	https://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=p&x={x}&y={y}&z={z}
OpenStreetMap Mapnick	http://tile.openstreetmap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png
OSM Cycle Map	http://tile.thunderforest.com/cycle/{z}/{x}/{y}.png
OSM Black and White	http://tiles.wmflabs.org/bw-mapnik/{z}/{x}/{y}.png
Bing Maps	http://ecn.t3.tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/a{q}.jpeg?g=1
ESRI Imagery/Satellite	https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Imagery/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}
ESRI Streets	https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Street_Map/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}
ESRI Topo	https://server.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Street_Map/MapServer/tile/{z}/{y}/{x}
Carto Positron	https://cartodb-basemaps-a.global.ssl.fastly.net/light_all/{z}/{x}/{y}.png
Stamen Terrain	http://a.tile.stamen.com/terrain/{z}/{x}/{y}.png

Related articles

• OpenStreet Map layer