Getting started as a new editor
Welcome! You have just started editing the Waze map in Switzerland, or you are about to. This page gathers the essentials to get off on the right foot: understanding your level, opening the editor, installing the right tool, and knowing what to change without risk.
It's normal to move carefully when starting out
Level 1 (L1) is the discovery level. Nobody expects perfect edits from you on day one. What matters: make small safe edits, read before acting, and ask when in doubt.
Understanding the L1 level
Every new editor starts at level 1. This level defines what you can edit and where.
| Level 1 | |
|---|---|
| Editing radius | 1.6 km around your trips |
| Minimum edits | 0 (automatic assignment) |
| Locking | you can edit segments locked at level 1 |
| Duration | driving-related rights expire after 3 months of inactivity |
The move to level 2 is automatic once the criteria are met. For all the details on levels and roles, see Editor levels and Editor roles.
Opening the editor (WME)
Edits are made in the Waze Map Editor (WME), available at waze.com/editor with your Waze account.
Take the time to get familiar with the interface before changing anything. Your editing area is located around the trips you make with the app: start with a place you know well, like your neighborhood.
Installing the right tool
WME Switzerland Helper
Install the userscript WME Switzerland Helper right from the start. It adds the Swiss geographic layers, public transport data (SBB stops) and a street-name check, all valuable aids for editing according to local rules.
The script is installed via a userscript manager such as Tampermonkey. Details and other tools on the Resources page.
The trap to absolutely avoid
Never apply a neighboring country's rules
Switzerland has its own editing rules. A practice that is valid in France, Germany or Italy is not necessarily valid here, even if we share a border and a language. Never apply a rule by simple analogy.
The right reflex: read the Wiki and the forum before editing, and ask when unsure.
One more question is better
One more question is always better than an edit that needs fixing. Ask it on the community Discord or the Romandie forum.
What can I safely edit at L1?
For your first edits, stick to simple, low-risk changes:
- correct a street name according to Swiss conventions (see Naming roads and cities);
- slightly adjust the geometry of a segment you know on the ground;
- handle simple reports.
Keep for later
At first, avoid topics that require experience and often a higher level: complex intersections, roundabouts, lanes (L3+) or permanent hazards (L4+). Watch how experienced editors do it, and ask before diving in.
Getting started checklist
- Have an active Waze account (use the app on your trips).
- Open the Waze Map Editor and explore the interface.
- Understand your L1 level and your editing rights.
- Install the WME Switzerland Helper userscript (see Scripts and tools).
- Read the basics: Road naming, Map legend and Routing basics.
- Read the Swiss editing rules.
- Join the Romandie forum and Discord (see Community).
- Make a first small simple edit, in an area you know.
Where to find help
Before asking a question, check the Wiki and the forum: the answer is often already there.
- Romandie forum: https://www.waze.com/discuss/c/editors/switzerland/romandie/4797
- Community Discord: https://discord.gg/dmxUwvTkk5
To understand who does what in the community, see Editor roles. For all the links and tools, see Resources.
Source(s)
- Information in French (Waze Switzerland hub): https://www.waze.com/discuss/t/informations-en-francais/377254
- Editing rules in French-speaking Switzerland: https://www.waze.com/discuss/t/regles-dedition-en-suisse-romande/377277
- Rechte zum Bearbeiten der Karte: https://www.waze.com/discuss/t/rechte-zum-bearbeiten-der-karte/377276