Overview – Google Earth (2024)

The world's most detailed globe

Climb the tallest mountains.Discover cities around the world.Dive into the world's deepest canyons.

keyboard_arrow_down

With creation tools, you can draw on the map, add your photos and videos, customize your view, and share and collaborate with others.

  • Draw on the map

    Add placemarks to highlight key locations in your project, or draw lines and shapes directly on the map.

  • Add your photos and videos

    Feature images and videos on your map to add rich contextual information.

  • Customise your view

    Make use of Google Earth's detailed globe by tilting the map to save a perfect 3D view or diving into Street View for a 360 experience.

  • Share your story with the world

    Collaborate with others like a Google Doc and share your story as a presentation.

Find somewhere you love

Explore worldwide satellite imagery and 3D buildings and terrain for hundreds of cities. Zoom to your house or anywhere else, then dive in for a 360° perspective with Street View.

Choose your adventure with Voyager

Take a guided tour around the globe with some of the world's leading storytellers, scientists and not-for-profit organisations. Immerse yourself in new cultures and test your knowledge of the world.

Catch Carmen Sandiego

The world’s greatest super thief is back. Follow clues and track her down!

Earth View

Explore a collection of the most striking and enigmatic landscapes available in Google Earth.

This is Home

Visit traditional homes around the globe in Street View and discover how the definition of “home” can both change and remain the same.

Crab Migration on Christmas Island

Follow the migration of the red crab as they emerge from the forests of Christmas Island and head to the beach to spawn.

Reading the ABCs from Space

NASA satellite imagery and astronaut photography reveal where an English alphabet can be found in the landforms of the Earth.

Catch Carmen Sandiego

The world’s greatest super thief is back. Follow clues and track her down!

Earth View

Explore a collection of the most striking and enigmatic landscapes available in Google Earth.

This is Home

Visit traditional homes around the globe in Street View and discover how the definition of “home” can both change and remain the same.

Crab Migration on Christmas Island

Follow the migration of the red crab as they emerge from the forests of Christmas Island and head to the beach to spawn.

Reading the ABCs from Space

NASA satellite imagery and astronaut photography reveal where an English alphabet can be found in the landforms of the Earth.

Experience Earth on any device

  • Google Earth on web

    Now available on Chrome and coming soon to more browsers.

  • Google Earth on mobile

    Explore the globe with a swipe of your finger. Available on Android and iOS.

  • Google Earth Pro on desktop

    Create maps with advanced tools on PC, Mac or Linux.

Tell your story with Google Earth

Meet three people who are using Google Earth to protect rivers, inspire students and revisit their birth country.

Google Earth in Action

The India Literacy Project teamed up with Google Earth to take children around India on virtual field trips and learn about their world.

Behind the Scenes of 3D Imagery

Google Earth is the most photorealistic, digital version of our planet. Where do the images come from? How are they they put together? And how often are they updated? In this video, learn about the pixels, planes and people that create Google Earth’s 3D imagery.

Geo for Good

In 2018, not-for-profit mapping and technology specialists gathered in California to learn about Google's mapping tools and share a passion for planetary change.

Get started with Google Earth

Get started with Google Earth on mobile

Everything you love about Google Earth, plus new ways for you to explore, learn and share. Zoom in and see what adventures await you.

Overview – Google Earth (2024)

FAQs

What is the Google Earth summary? ›

Google Earth is a computer program that renders a 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery. The program maps the Earth by superimposing satellite images, aerial photography, and GIS data onto a 3D globe, allowing users to see cities and landscapes from various angles.

Can I see my house in real time on Google Earth? ›

Google Street View gives you an in-depth look at your home, it does not provide live or up-to-the-minute footage. Real-time satellite imagery is not typically used to provide live feeds of individual houses.

Can I use Google Earth for free? ›

Google Earth Pro on desktop is free for users with advanced feature needs. Import and export GIS data, and go back in time with historical imagery. Available on PC, Mac, or Linux. By installing, you agree to Google Earth's Privacy Policy.

What is the benefit of Google Earth? ›

Using Google Earth and maps in classrooms can help visualize abstract concepts across a global canvas, allowing students to connect what they learn inside to what they experience in their daily lives, community, and to the larger world. Google Earth's creation tools allow you to create your own projects.

Why is Google Earth so good? ›

Google Earth is so fast and easy to use, it can be used to give students an instant illustration of a particular place. The website comes with many built-in options like the Voyager mode, classroom activities, and links to other credible resources. Some even include student worksheets, saving teachers lots of time.

How do I navigate in Google Earth? ›

Move around the globe
  1. Open Google Earth.
  2. Point to a directional arrow on the compass.
  3. Left-click and hold. Then, release the button when you've reached the part of the world you want to discover.

What are the features of Google Earth? ›

Sky - Click this to view stars, constellations, galaxies, planets and the Earth's moon. Navigation controls - Use these to tilt, zoom and move around your viewpoint (see below). Layers panel - Use this to display points of interest. Places panel - Use this to locate, save, organize and revisit placemarks.

How do I use Google Earth to view a house? ›

Computers
  1. Navigate to a place on the map.
  2. Zoom in on the location you want to see using: Your mouse or touchpad. Shortcut keys. ...
  3. Below the navigation controls on the right, you'll see Pegman . Drag Pegman to the area you want to see. Earth will show Street View imagery.
  4. In the top right, click Building .

Can I view my street in real time? ›

Google Street View is accessible through Google Maps on both desktop and mobile. You can also use Live View in Google Maps for a live view of your route and directions in real time.

How do you look at someone's house on Google Earth? ›

Search for the house.

Use the search box on the upper left corner and enter the exact and complete address of the house you want to view. Click the Search button beside the search field to continue. Just like in Google Maps, Google Earth will bring you to the location you've entered.

Can satellites see inside your house? ›

Can satellites see through your house? No, satellites cannot see through your house.

What are the cons of Google Earth? ›

Now let's take a look at the downside of the Google Earth engine
  • It's free only for non-commercial, non-production use. ...
  • The free version has some processing and storage limits.
  • Programming limitaion.
Feb 20, 2024

Is there a free alternative to Google Earth? ›

QGIS. QGIS is one of the best Google Earth alternatives free GIS software with virtual globe capabilities. It supports various types of data and has advanced analytical tools which makes it suitable to use in different cases.

How much does it cost to use Google Earth? ›

It is free of charge and can be installed on a Windows, Mac or Linux computer.

What is the story behind Google Earth? ›

During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Keyhole's software, EarthViewer, was used extensively by the U.S. military and intelligence community as well as by CNN on the air. Google acquired Keyhole in 2004, and EarthViewer was rebranded as Google Earth the following year.

What does Google Earth show? ›

You can see a large collection of imagery in Google Earth, including satellite, aerial, 3D, and Street View images. Images are collected over time from providers and platforms. Images aren't in real time, so you won't see live changes.

What is the theory of Google Earth? ›

The theory behind Google Earth is simple: create a virtual earth similar to a classroom globe, but make it able to display more information. Question: Why use a three-dimensional globe? Because Google Earth uses a virtual sphere, it is able to accurately reproduce the Earth with little to no distortion.

What are the objectives of Google Earth? ›

Google's cloud-based geospatial platform enables users to visualize and analyze satellite images of the planet at an unprecedented scale. Google Earth lets you explore the streets of cities and then jump to a view from space.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 5937

Rating: 4 / 5 (41 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Birthday: 1996-01-14

Address: 8381 Boyce Course, Imeldachester, ND 74681

Phone: +3571286597580

Job: Product Banking Analyst

Hobby: Cosplaying, Inline skating, Amateur radio, Baton twirling, Mountaineering, Flying, Archery

Introduction: My name is Kimberely Baumbach CPA, I am a gorgeous, bright, charming, encouraging, zealous, lively, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.