We wanted to give a heads up that DHIS2 maps using OSM Light now have an “API KEY REQUIRED” watermark across the map background. This is not a problem with your instance, and your data is not affected. Only the background map image has changed.
OSM Light is served by CARTO, which has started requiring an API key for its image basemaps and now stamps a watermark on requests without one. It affects all DHIS2 versions, in the Maps app, maps on dashboards, and downloaded map images.
Workarounds for now:
- Switch the basemap to OSM Detailed on affected maps (different provider, unaffected) and save. This requires edit access to the map.
- For image downloads, you can also hide the basemap using the eye icon on the basemap card. Your data layers export cleanly without a background.
Please note:
- Instances with custom basemaps: the upcoming fix only covers the built-in OSM Light. If you’ve configured your own External map layer pointing at CARTO (Maintenance app → Other → External map layer), it will keep the watermark and needs updating on your own instance.
- CARTO API keys: there is no way to add a key to the built-in OSM Light basemap. If you already have a CARTO key you can configure it as a custom External map layer with the key in the URL, but CARTO is retiring these image basemaps, so we don’t recommend it as a long-term option.
We will be releasing a new Maps app version fixing this next week. OSM Light will point at a basemap that doesn’t need an API key, and existing saved maps and dashboards will pick it up automatically when you update to this new app version.
Thanks to the community members who flagged this so quickly!
Best regards,
DHIS2 Core Team
