Welcome to the JOSM online help system

From JOSM you can reach this page

• by clicking the menu item Help -> Help
• by clicking on a help button in one of the JOSM dialogs
• by pressing F1

Please help to improve online help information.
This help might get outdated from time to time. Please help improving it by fixing parts that are missing or outdated - this is a wiki!

Getting Started

Within this wiki

• Introduction to JOSM
• How Tos about JOSM
• Audio mapping: playing voice notes and synchronizing them with your GPS tracks in JOSM
• Keyboard shortcuts

In the OSM-wiki

• ​JOSM page
• ​JOSM Guide

Openstreetmap in general

• ​Openstreetmap wiki
• ​FAQ about OSM in general
• ​Map features

Concepts

• Objects - explains what objects maps consist of and how these objects are described in detail
• Conflict - explains the basics of conflicts, why they occur, how they are detected and how you can resolve them
• Changeset - explains why you create a changeset when you upload data to the OSM server

JOSM interface

Map View

• Map View - The main area, where editing takes place

Main Menu

Depending on which plugins you have installed you may have more options on this menu.

• File
• Edit
• View
• Tools
• Selection
• Presets
• Imagery
• Windows
• Audio
• Help
• a search box which allows to search for menu items

Toolbars

• Main Toolbar - the toolbar above the main JOSM window.
  This toolbar is highly customisable, with the ability to add and remove menus items from the preferences dialog.
• Edit Toolbar - the toolbar down the left hand side of the main JOSM window

Toggle Dialogs

• Toggle Dialogs - right part of JOSM window

Status Bar

• Status Bar - bottom panel of JOSM window

Other dialogs

• Changeset Manager - query, download, view, and close changesets
• Conflict Dialog - use the Conflict Dialog to resolve conflicts.
• History Dialog - browse the history of a node, way, or relation
• Relation Editor - use the Relation Editor to create and/or modify relations
• Preferences Dialog - view and change the preferences of JOSM.
• Unsaved Changes Dialog - dialog to warn and offer upload/save function if a data layer is deleted.
• Upload Dialog - information about the pending upload, comment-field and many options

JOSM Plugins

• A list of available plugins can be found at the plugin page
• Plugin descriptions within JOSM help
• Information and Documentation about various JOSM plugins can also be found starting from the ​JOSM-Plugin page in the OSM-wiki

JOSM error messages

• Error messages