---
path: docs/getting-started/tour-the-interface
title: "Tour the Interface"
desc: "A visual walkthrough of the GISOwl map editor."
date: "Apr 2, 2026"
---

# Tour the Interface

Get familiar with the key areas of the GISOwl map editor.

## Toolbar

The toolbar sits at the top of the map canvas and gives you quick access to the most common actions:

- **Upload** — Add data from files, URLs, or cloud sources.
- **Annotations** — Draw markers, lines, polygons, circles, and text.
- **Owl AI** — Open the AI assistant to ask questions about your data or generate spatial queries.
- **Basemap** — Switch between satellite, street, terrain, dark, and custom basemaps.
- **Search** — Find any place by name, address, or coordinates.

## Layers Panel

The layers panel on the left lists every dataset and annotation group on your map. From here you can:

- Reorder layers by dragging
- Toggle layer visibility
- Open the style editor
- Access the attribute table
- Rename, duplicate, or delete layers
- Group layers into folders

## Map Canvas

The central area where your data is rendered. Interact with features by clicking to see popups, hovering for tooltips, or using box-select to highlight a region. Use scroll to zoom, click-drag to pan, and hold Shift + drag to rotate and tilt the 3D view.

## Properties Panel

When you select a feature or layer, the right-side panel shows its properties: attribute values, geometry details, and styling options. You can edit attribute values inline for editable layers.

## Legend

The auto-generated legend appears in the bottom-left corner, reflecting the current layer styles. You can toggle the legend on or off and reposition it for exported images.

## Status Bar

The bottom bar shows your current cursor coordinates (lat/lon), zoom level, map projection, and feature count for the active layer.

## Next Steps

- [Your Workspace](/docs/getting-started/your-workspace) — Learn about projects, folders, and organization.
- [Keyboard Shortcuts](/docs/getting-started/keyboard-shortcuts) — Speed up your workflow.