# Change the basemap

Last updated: 2026-10-27

> Switch the imagery under your map, such as satellite or a light map, and turn on 3D terrain or black and white.

The basemap is the imagery under your data. You can switch it on most pages; where a page sets it, the picker shows "This view sets the basemap." and the choices are greyed out. A public app shows the picker only if we turned it on for you.

## Switch the basemap

1. On the map, click the small map thumbnail at the top right, next to **Layers**.
2. In **Basemaps**, click the one you want.

![The Basemaps list open under the map thumbnail, with satellite, Light and Sentinel-2 basemaps, and Black & White and 3D Terrain at the bottom](https://restorationscope.com/docs/figures/en/basemap-picker.png)

The options depend on your app. Most apps have several satellite basemaps (Mapbox, Google, ESRI), a **Light** map that makes your data stand out, and **Sentinel-2**.

Hover over a basemap and click **ⓘ** to read where its imagery comes from and how recent it is.

## See how a place changed

**ESRI - Wayback**, **Google Earth Timelapse** and **Sentinel-2** show imagery from other dates. When you choose one, a timeline appears at the bottom of the map to move through the dates.

## Black and white, and 3D

At the bottom of **Basemaps**:

- **Black & White** greys out the imagery so your data stands out.
- **3D Terrain** shows hills and valleys. With it on, **Orbit camera** lets you turn around the map.