What Is Tiled Imagery?
Tiled imagery is a way to display large raster images (like orthophotos or maps) by breaking them into smaller square tiles that load dynamically as you zoom in and out. This helps keep your map fast and responsive.
Swyvl supports two common tile formats:
TMS (Tile Map Service): Upload as a
.zipfile with tiles arranged in TMS directory structure.XYZ Tiles: Upload as a
.zipfile with tiles in the standard XYZ format.
Both types are added through the Imagery tool in the Toolbar, and function the same once added.
Did you know that TMS and XYZ tiles are very similar and the difference between them comes down to how they reference the Y axis? They contain the same tiles, but the Y axis is flipped!
Step 1: Prepare Your Tiled Imagery
Ensure your tiles are packaged correctly:
File format:
.zipDirectory structure: Must follow either TMS or XYZ tiling format
Folder contents: Should include zoom-level folders (e.g.
/10/512/384.png)Projection: Use Web Mercator (EPSG:3857) for best compatibility
Tip: If you're unsure which format you have, check with the tool or software used to generate your tiles. Or just upload it and see what happens!
Step 2: Upload the Imagery
Open your Project in the Builder
From the Toolbar, click on Imagery
Choose TMS Tiles or XYZ Tiles
Upload your
.zipfile
Once uploaded, your imagery will appear on the map automatically.
Step 3: Adjust Placement (if needed)
Most tiled imagery will be georeferenced correctly and automatically positioned. If not, you can:
Click the imagery layer in the Project Data Sidebar
Open the Properties Panel
Go to the Placement tab
Click to Flit Tile Latitude - sometimes that will fix incorrect placement.
Please note that if the placement is still correct, you will need to update that information in your original .zip file. It is not possible to manually adjust or reposition Tiled Imagery in Swyvl.
Step 4: Manage Your Imagery Layer
Toggle visibility on/off from the Sidebar
Adjust transparency in the Styling tab of the Properties Panel
Rename or delete the layer anytime
Supported File Types
Type | File Extension | Description |
TMS Tileset |
| Tile Map Service format |
XYZ Tileset |
| Standard XYZ tile format |
📌 Once uploaded, both TMS and XYZ behave the same inside Swyvl.
Tips & Notes
Don't know if you have TMS or XYZ? Upload your .zip file as either and see what happens! If the file is in wrong location on the map, you can flip the tile latitude in the Properties Panel Placement tab.
Performance: Tiled imagery loads quickly even for large areas — ideal for drone orthomosaics or historical maps.
Workspace-wide reuse: Imagery layers are stored as Resources and can be reused across Projects in the same Workspace.