MBTiles Viewer — View Offline Map Tile Packages Online

Upload an .mbtiles file to see it rendered as a map, right down to every zoom level it contains — pan, zoom, and read the tileset's metadata, all without installing anything. Open in full screen ↗

What Is an MBTiles File?

MBTiles packages an entire pyramid of map tiles, from a wide zoomed-out view down to close street-level detail, into a single SQLite database file. Instead of managing thousands of separate image files in folders named by zoom, row and column, everything lives in one .mbtiles file with a tiles table and a metadata table describing the tileset's name, format, zoom range and geographic bounds.

Your Tileset Stays on Your Device

This viewer opens your .mbtiles file entirely inside your browser using a WebAssembly build of SQLite. The file is never uploaded anywhere, so it's safe to preview a package containing proprietary imagery, an unpublished basemap, or any other tileset you'd rather not send to a third-party server.

Watch: MBTiles Viewer in 60 Seconds

Prefer to watch instead of read? This short walkthrough covers uploading a file, reading the tileset metadata, and panning and zooming through the map.

Real-World Use Cases

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Travel & Offline Navigation

Preview an offline map package before loading it onto a phone or GPS device for a trip with no signal.

🗄️

Archiving Old Tile Packages

Open a tile package pulled from an old project archive without installing any GIS software.

🏞️

Cartography QA

Check a custom-styled basemap package for missing tiles or misaligned zoom levels before publishing it.

🎓

Teaching & Learning

Show students how a tile pyramid is structured by exploring the zoom levels of a real MBTiles file.

📡

Field Work Without Signal

Confirm an offline tileset covers the right area and zoom range before heading somewhere without connectivity.

🚁

Drone & Survey Delivery

Review orthomosaic tile packages from a drone mapping flight before handing them off to a client.

Why MBTiles Exists

MBTiles was introduced by Mapbox in 2011 to solve a specific problem: map tiles for offline use are numerous and awkward to manage as loose files. Packaging them into one SQLite database made it possible to copy a complete offline basemap onto a phone, sync it to a field device, or share it as a single download, and the format has since become a de facto standard, produced by tools like TileMill, Mapbox Studio, QGIS and tippecanoe.

Common Questions

What image formats are supported?

PNG, JPEG and WebP raster tiles are all supported, based on the format recorded in the file's own metadata.

Does this tool edit or convert the MBTiles file?

No, it's read-only. It doesn't modify, re-export or convert the file in any way — it only displays what's already inside it.

Can I use this to check a tileset before uploading it to a server?

Yes — that's one of the most useful checks: confirm the tiles render correctly and cover the right area before you publish or ship the package anywhere.

Why do some areas of the map look empty?

MBTiles packages are often generated for a specific region and zoom range. Areas or zoom levels outside what was exported simply have no tiles, so they show through to the plain background.

Can I check the tileset's zoom range and bounds?

Yes, the info panel reads the minzoom, maxzoom and bounds values straight from the file's metadata table, if they're present.

Does this viewer work with vector tiles?

It reads the metadata from vector (PBF) tilesets, but only renders raster tiles (PNG, JPEG or WebP) as a map. Rendering vector tiles needs a full map-styling engine, which is beyond what this tool does.

What's the difference between a baselayer and an overlay tileset?

MBTiles metadata can mark a tileset as a "baselayer" (meant to stand alone, like a full basemap) or an "overlay" (meant to sit on top of another map, like a hillshade or boundary layer). This viewer shows a plain background for baselayers and adds a basemap underneath for overlays.

Is there a file size limit?

Yes, files up to 100 MB are supported, which covers most tile packages for a city, region or single project area.

Is my file uploaded to a server?

No. The .mbtiles file is opened and read entirely in your browser using a WebAssembly build of SQLite. Nothing is ever sent anywhere.

What is an MBTiles file?

MBTiles is a specification for storing map tiles in a single SQLite database file, so a whole pyramid of zoom levels can be packaged, shared and used offline as one file instead of thousands of separate images.

Step by Step

Step 1

Open the tool

Go to the MBTiles Viewer and you'll see an upload area ready for your file.

Step 2

Upload your MBTiles file

Drag and drop an .mbtiles file onto the tool, or click to browse and select one from your device.

Step 3

Check the tileset info panel

See the tileset's name, format, zoom range, bounds and description pulled straight from its metadata.

Step 4

Pan and zoom around the map

Drag to pan and scroll to zoom — tiles are read directly from the file as you explore, with no loading delay.

Step 5

Adjust the opacity

Fade the tileset to compare it against the basemap underneath, useful for overlay-type tilesets.

Step 6

Spot vector tilesets

If the file contains vector (PBF) tiles instead of images, the viewer tells you clearly and still shows the metadata.

Step 7

Try a different file

Click Clear and upload another .mbtiles package to explore it the same way.

Step 8

Open in full screen

Use the full screen view for a larger, distraction-free map when reviewing a tileset closely.

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Powered by sql.js, reading the tile package directly as a SQLite database in your browser. Every file you upload is read entirely in your browser — no file is ever sent to a server.