Fixing Google Map Errors
You may have noticed that a recent update has left Google map errors on your website with messages stating “This page can’t load Google Maps correctly.” & “For development purposes only” being displayed over the Google map window.
What has caused the Google Map errors?
On July 16th 2018 a new pricing policy was introduced with a charge applied per map load / view. If your map isn’t using an API attached to an account with an active billing method present then the error message will be displayed.
Whilst this may provoke thoughts of ‘how much is this going to cost me?’, the reality is unless your map is going to be accessed more than 400-500 times per day you will not encounter charges. Google provide a monthly credit of $200 which is more than adequate for a small to medium sized business. If you are worried about going beyond this limit, it is possible to apply a cap to the number of map loads per day.
Check whether an API is in place
The first step in determining the cause of Google Map errors is to check that an API is in place. A handy tool is Google’s Chrome plug-in: Google Maps Platform API Checker. Once activated simply navigate to the page where your Google Map is located and use the tool tip. You will be notified whether an API is in place or whether an error is present…
Creating a Google Maps API
I am going to fix the Google Maps error by starting afresh and creating a new API. First you’ll need to visit the Google Maps Platform and select ‘Get Started’.
In the new window you should select the ‘Maps’, ‘Routes’ and ‘Places’ options then click Continue.
You will now need to choose an existing project or create a new one.
On the page that loads you will need to assign a billing profile. Once completed you can now enable your APIs.
Applying a purchase cap
If you wish to ensure that you are not billed for your Google Map use you may wish to implement a purchase cap…
Go to the Maps JavaScript API Quotas page in the Google Cloud Platform Console.
From the projects list, select a project.
In the Requests section, on the Requests per day line, click the edit icon, then enter the preferred total billable daily quota, up to the limit (if any) specified by Google.
It’s worth remembering that if the API use reaches your assigned limits, your application will not be able to function until the quotas are reset the following day.
Activating your map
Finally, once you have applied your new API key to your project you will find the error message has gone…
