The quickest way to show a map to someone is a public link: make an interface public in the Share dialog (see Sharing one interface) and send the URL. Anyone who opens it is a visitor — no Atlas account, no seat, and collaborator-level access at most.
Password protection lets you share a public link to a project — or a single interface — but require visitors to enter a password before they see anything. It's a middle ground between a fully public map and inviting people individually: anyone with the password can view, no Atlas account required.
When to use
- Sharing with a client during a pitch, where you want a simple link but not the world.
- Sending a project to a partner organisation that doesn't have Atlas accounts yet.
- Keeping a public-facing map behind a soft barrier so it's not indexed or guessable.
For named-user access, use Sharing a project instead.
Set a password
In the share dialog, find the password protection setting (next to or under the public-access toggle). Enable it and set a password. Atlas immediately requires the password to view the shared link; visitors who already have it open are not signed out.
What visitors see
When someone opens the shared URL with password protection on, they see a lock screen with:
- The workspace's logo (or Atlas's default).
- A Password input field.
- A Continue button.
- A "Contact the project owner if you need access" hint.
If they enter the correct password, they're taken into the shared project as a visitor, with the same access as on a public interface. The wrong password shows an inline error and they can try again.
Change or remove the password
In the share dialog, change the password to a new value or disable protection altogether. Anyone using the old password is locked out as soon as you save.
Combining with other access settings
Password protection stacks on top of other rules:
- It only applies to public-link access. People you have invited (signed in to Atlas) bypass the password screen.
- If you've made a single interface public, password protection applies to that interface's link as well.
- Password-protected pages still respect the project's read-only status — visitors can browse, and can edit through popups, tables and widgets only where an editor has opened them up. See Sharing one interface.
Limits and notes
- Anyone you give the password to can pass it on, intentionally or not. Treat passwords as low-trust access control, not a security boundary.
- Atlas doesn't expire passwords automatically. Rotate the password manually when an engagement ends.
- Logos and accent colour shown on the lock screen come from your workspace's branding settings.