Make your first edit to OpenStreetMap

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to contribute to OpenStreetMap (OSM) in just 15 minutes. By adding a website tag to a nearby shop or amenity, you'll make a meaningful impact that will benefit people worldwide. Once a location has a website tag in OSM, it becomes easier to find additional information like phone numbers, opening hours, and email addresses.

To start, create an account on OSM and verify your email address. Next, download JOSM, a powerful editor app, and run it according to your operating system's instructions. While there are simpler in-browser editing tools available, JOSM provides plugins that streamline the editing process.

Filter the OSM data to display only shops and amenities without a website tag. Celebrate your achievement for improving OSM for everyone. You can continue by adding website tags to other locations in your area of interest (AOI). For instance, a user added 66 website tags in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood in one changeset.

Alternatively, filter for places with a website tag but no phone tag and then add the missing phone number based on information from the website. The United States alone has over 1 million shops, so it will take many more contributors to map them all. Regardless of your next steps, you can take pride in helping to make OSM the world's best map!