Checkout Supports Google's New Places API for Address Autocomplete

We're pleased to let you know that BigCommerce's Optimized One-Page Checkout has been updated to support Google's new Places API for address autocomplete, helping your store stay ahead as Google evolves its services.

Why this update matters

If you've enabled address autocomplete in Settings › Checkout, under the hood, that autocomplete has historically relied on Google's Places API. Google has moved that version to “Legacy” status as of March 1, 2025.

The legacy API still works today for stores that set up their key before that date, but planning ahead means your store's checkout stays reliable and modern for the long run. That's why we've made checkout compatible with Google's new Places API, giving you a clear path forward.

What you need to do

If you're currently using address autocomplete with an existing Google API key, you don't need to start from scratch. You just need to enable the new Places API on that same key. Here's how:

1. Go to the Google Cloud Console.

2. Select the project your existing key belongs to.

3. Navigate to APIs & Services → Keys & Credentials — your API key is listed.

4. Click it, and modify Select API restrictions to include "Places API (New)" - note this is distinct from the legacy “Places API.”

5. Click Save.

That's it. Once enabled, your existing key will work with the new Places API.

Prefer a fresh start? You can also generate a brand-new key against the new Places API instead of modifying your existing one. This gives you a fallback option to revert to your original key if you run into any issues while transitioning.

Still seeing a console warning?

If after completing the steps above, you still see this warning in your browser console, it usually means your key is missing a website restriction.

As of March 1st, 2025, google.maps.places.AutocompleteService is not available to new customers. Please use google.maps.places.AutocompleteSuggestion instead.

Here’s the fix:

1. Go to the Google Cloud Console.

2. Select the project your existing key belongs to.

3. Navigate to APIs & Services → Keys & Credentials → Select your API key

4. Under  Key restrictions → Websites, add a new entry mapping to your store e.g. https://www.mystore.com/*

5. Click Save.

Once that's in place, calls to the new Places API should succeed, checkout will use AutocompleteSuggestion, and the console warning should disappear. No changes are needed on the checkout itself.

Do I need to switch right away?

No. You can continue using the legacy Places API for now. Checkout is built to call the new Places API first, and automatically falls back to the legacy Places API if your key hasn't been enabled for the new one. This means there's no disruption to your checkout experience while you make the switch on your own timeline.

That said, since Google has moved the legacy API to Legacy status, enabling the new Places API sooner rather than later helps future proof your store's address autocomplete.

The final word

By enabling the new Places API for address autocomplete, you're not just avoiding future disruption, you're keeping one of checkout's most used conveniences running smoothly for every customer who buys from your store.