QGIS
Accessing OS NGD data with OS NGD API – Features via QGIS
QGIS is an open GIS (Geospatial Information System) desktop application that allows you to display, interrogate, visualise and create geospatial information including from geo-centric APIs (for example, a WFS).
The instructions that follow demonstrate how to connect to OS NGD API – Features using QGIS.
What you need
QGIS (version 3.12.0 or later).
A preloaded basemap, for example, OS Maps API or OS Vector Tile API.
OS NGD API – Features added to an API project in the OS Data Hub with an API Key. See Getting started with an API project for more information.
Instructions
Create a new connection
In the Data Source Manager | WFS / OGC API - Features dialog click New and in the New WFS Connection dialog:
Name: Provide a name for the connection. You can reuse this connection in the future.
URL: Copy the OS NGD API – Features endpoint address from the OS Data Hub and paste it into this field. Your API Key is automatically appended to this URL in the
key
parameter.Authentication: Leave these settings at their defaults. You do not need a username or password as authentication is done through your API Key.
Version: Click Detect to identify the version.
Enable feature paging: Select this option, if necessary.
Page size: Enter a maximum page size. This limits the page size to a maximum number of features. We recommend a setting of about
100
to speed up response times. Larger values may result in a very slow response time.Other: Leave the other settings at their defaults.
Click OK.
Adding layers to the map
Data Source Manager | WFS / OGC API - Features dialog:
Select your new connection in the dropdown, if necessary.
Click Connect.
When you click Connect, a list of layers available in OS NGD API – Features populates in the main box:
To add a layer to the map: Select the layer to highlight it. You can select multiple layers by using the Ctrl key.
Only request features overlapping the view extent: Select this option.
Click Add.

The layer will then display in the Layers panel and the data will display on the map:

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