---
title: "AutoSuggest"
method: GET
path: "/autosuggest"
tags: ["what3words API"]
---

# AutoSuggest

`GET /autosuggest`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://api.what3words.com/v3`
- URL: `https://api.what3words.com/v3/autosuggest`
- Auth: one of:
  - API key in query parameter `key`
  - API key in header `X-Api-Key`

AutoSuggest can take a slightly incorrect what3words address and suggest a list of valid what3words addresses. It has powerful features that can, for example, optionally limit results to a country or area, and prioritize results that are near the user.

## Query parameters

- `key` string
- `input` string, required
- `focus` string
- `n-focus-results` string
- `clip-to-country` string
- `clip-to-circle` string
- `clip-to-bounding-box` string
- `clip-to-polygon` string
- `language` string
- `locale` string
- `input-type` 'text' | 'vocon-hybrid' | 'nmdp-asr' | 'generic-voice' | 'speechmatics' | 'vin-big-data'
- `n-results` integer
- `prefer-land` boolean
- `format` 'json' | 'geojson'

## Response `200`

Successful autosuggest results

- AutosuggestResponse
  - `suggestions` AutosuggestSuggestion[]: List of suggested what3words addresses
    - `words` string: The suggested what3words address
    - `country` string: The country in which the what3words address is located, as an ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code
    - `nearestPlace` string: The nearest place to the what3words address
    - `language` string: The language of the what3words address
    - `locale` string: The locale of the what3words address, if applicable
    - `rank` integer: The relative ranking of this suggestion
    - `distanceToFocusKm` number, double: The distance in kilometers from the focus point to this suggestion's coordinates

## Other responses

- `400`: Bad request
- `401`: Unauthorized - Invalid API key

## Changes

- **2026-03-04** `89db2437e8b6`: 13 warning, 6 info
  - deleted the `query` request parameter `locale`
  - removed the optional property `suggestions/items/coordinates` from the response with the `200` status
  - removed the optional property `suggestions/items/square` from the response with the `200` status
  - added the new `BadInput` enum value to the `error/code` response property for the response status `400`
  - …15 more
- **2025-05-29** `b7027c5acae5`: 1 warning, 2 info
  - deleted the `query` request parameter `locale`
  - added the new optional `query` request parameter `locale`
  - added the new optional `query` request parameter `n-focus-results`

[Operation history](https://skmtc.dev/what3words/apis/what3words-api/changes/autosuggest/get.md)

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/what3words/apis/what3words-api.md) - [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/what3words/apis/what3words-api/llms.txt) - [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/what3words/apis/what3words-api/revisions/2f8f54251ad7?raw)