If you enabled public data sharing for your outdoor monitor but cannot see it on OpenAQ or the AirGradient Map, there are several common causes. In most cases, the issue is related to the data sharing settings, location coordinates, or public naming requirements.

Note that public map sharing is currently intended for outdoor air quality monitors such as Open Air / Open Air Max.

1. Confirm That Public Data Sharing Is Enabled

First, make sure public data sharing is enabled for the location.

To check this:

• Open the AirGradient dashboard.
• Go to Locations.
• Go to Admin for the relevant location.
• Go to Admin.
• Click Edit Location.
• Open the Data Sharing section.
• Confirm that public sharing is enabled.

If you want the monitor to appear on OpenAQ, confirm that OpenAQ sharing is also selected.

• Save the changes.

If public sharing is not enabled, the monitor will not appear on public maps.

2. Check That the Monitor Is Online and Sending Data

The monitor needs to be online and sending valid data to the AirGradient dashboard.

3. Check the Location Coordinates

If public sharing is enabled, you'll have entered location coordinates for the monitor.

You can get coordinates from Google Maps:

• Open Google Maps.
• Right-click on the monitor’s location.
• Copy the coordinates shown in the menu.
• Paste them into the location coordinate fields in the AirGradient dashboard.

Example:

40.1792, 44.4991

OpenAQ requires coordinates with enough precision. Both the latitude and longitude should have at least three decimal places.

For example, this may not be precise enough for OpenAQ:

7.14, 125.62

Use this instead:

7.143, 125.625

Coordinates with only two decimal places can represent a location roughly within 1 km of the real monitor position. This is not accurate enough for OpenAQ.

4. Confirm That the Coordinates Match the Intended Map Pin

After entering the location coordinates in the AirGradient dashboard, copy and paste the exact coordinates into Google Maps or another map service to confirm where they point.

To check this:

• Open the AirGradient dashboard.
• Go to Locations.
• Go to Admin for the relevant location.
• Click Edit Location.
• Open the Data Sharing section.
• Copy the coordinates entered there.
• Paste them into Google Maps.
• Confirm that the pin appears at the intended monitor location.

In some cases, the monitor may not appear where expected because the coordinates entered in the dashboard point to a different location. For example, a user may be checking the AirGradient Map or OpenAQ near the intended installation site, while the coordinates entered in the dashboard point somewhere else.

If the pin does not match the intended monitor location, update the coordinates in the AirGradient dashboard and save the changes.

5. Use a Unique Public Location Name

If you are sharing data publicly, you need to enter a public location name.

Avoid very generic names such as:

Yerevan

School

Home

Station 1

Use a more specific name instead, for example:

Yerevan - Arabkir Community Sensor

Davao Open Air Max Station 01

Central School Outdoor Monitor

This is especially important for OpenAQ. If the public location name is too common, the monitor may not display correctly on their side.

Very simple or common names, such as only a first name, can cause issues on OpenAQ’s side. Each contributor name is tied to a monitor entity, and common names may already be in use. In some cases, this can trigger a manual review.

For example, instead of:

Ethan

use something more specific, such as:

Ethan AirGradient

or:

AirGradient Community Monitor - Davao

In most cases, using a full name, organization name, or project name is enough.

6. Allow Some Time for the Data to Appear

After enabling public sharing, the monitor may not appear immediately.

The AirGradient Map and OpenAQ may need time to process and display the monitor. If you just enabled sharing, wait and check again later.

7. Check Whether the Monitor Appears on One Platform but Not the Other

The AirGradient Map and OpenAQ are separate platforms. A monitor may appear on one but not the other.

For example:

If the monitor appears on the AirGradient Map but not OpenAQ, the issue is likely related to OpenAQ requirements, such as coordinate precision, public name, or contributor name.

If the monitor does not appear on either platform, check whether public sharing is enabled and whether the monitor is online.

If the monitor is online but still does not appear, review the location settings in the dashboard.

Still Not Showing?

If you have checked all of the above and your monitor still does not appear on the AirGradient Map or OpenAQ, please contact our support team.