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User Guide

Introduction


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This user guide describes Google Earth Version 4.3 and later.

Welcome to Google Earth! Once you download and install Google Earth, your computer becomes a window to anywhere, allowing you to view high-resolution aerial and satellite imagery, photos, elevation terrain, road and street labels, business listings, and more. See Five Cool, Easy Things You Can Do in Google Earth.

You can view a printable version of this user guide (free Adobe Reader required, English only).



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Use the following topics to learn Google Earth basics - navigating the globe, searching, printing, and more:

For other topics in this documentation, see the table of contents (left) or check out these important topics:

Getting to Know Google Earth

The following diagram describes some of the features available in the main window of Google Earth:

Overview of Google Earth

  1. Search panel - Use this to find places and directions and manage search results. Google Earth EC may display additional tabs here.
  2. Overview map - Use this for an additional perspective of the Earth.
  3. Hide/Show sidebar - Click this to conceal or the display the side bar (Search, Places and Layers panels).
  4. Placemark - Click this to add a placemark for a location.
  5. Polygon - Click this to add a polygon.
  6. Path - Click this to add a path (line or lines).
  7. Image Overlay - Click this to add an image overlay on the Earth.
  8. Measure - Click this to measure a distance or area size.
  9. Sun - Click this to display sunlight across the landscape.
  10. Sky - Click this to view stars, constellations, galaxies, planets and the Earth's moon.
  11. Email - Click this to email a view or image.
  12. Print - Click this to print the current view of the Earth.
  13. Show in Google Maps - Click this to show the current view in Google Maps in your web browser.
  14. Navigation controls - Use these to zoom, look and move around (see below).
  15. Layers panel - Use this to display points of interest.
  16. Places panel - Use this to locate, save, organize and revisit placemarks.
  17. Add Content - Click this to import exciting content from the KML Gallery
  18. 3D Viewer - View the globe and its terrain in this window.
  19. Status bar - View coordinate, elevation, imagery date and streaming status here.

Five Cool, Easy Things You Can Do in Google Earth

Want to jump in and start having fun with Google Earth? Try any of the the following:

  1. View an image of your home, school or any place on Earth - Click Fly To. Enter the location in the input box and click the Search button. In the search results (Places panel), double click the location. Google Earth flies you to this location.
    Search button Search button
  2. Go on a tour of the world - In the Places panel, check the Sightseeing folder and click the Play Tour button:
    Play Tour button
  3. Get driving directions from one place to another and fly (follow) the route - See Getting Directions and Touring the Route.
  4. View other cool locations and features created by other Google Earth users - In the Layers panel, check Community Showcase. Interesting placemarks and other features appear in the 3D viewer. Double click these points of interest to view and explore. See Using Points of Interest (POIs) for more information.
  5. View 3D terrain of a place - This is more fun with hilly or mountainous terrain, such as the Grand Canyon. Go to a location (see number 1). When the view shows the location, use the zoom slider to tilt the terrain. See Using the Navigational Controls and Tilting and Viewing Hilly Terrain for more information.

View samples of other things you can see and do in Google Earth.

New Features in Version 4.3

This version of Google Earth has a number of exciting new features, including:

Installing Google Earth

For information about installing Google Earth, visit the Google Earth Help Center.

System Requirements

To use Google Earth on a Windows PC, you must have at least the following:

To use Google Earth on a Mac, you must have at least the following:

Regarding Linux, Google Earth has been tested on Ubuntu version 6.06, but certainly works on others. Hardware requirements include:

Please make sure your system has properly-configured OpenGL drivers. If Google Earth appears to be slow and unresponsive, it is likely that your system needs different video drivers.

Changing Languages

You can change the language displayed in Google Earth. To do this in Windows or Linux:

  1. Click Tools > Options. Click the General tab.
  2. Under Language settings, choose the appropriate language of your choice. System Default corresponds to the language used by the operating system of your computer.

To change your language on the Mac:

  1. Exit Google Earth.
  2. Click on the Apple symbol in the upper left-hand side of your screen.
  3. Select System Preferences.
  4. Click on International.
  5. Drag the supported language (see below) of your choice to the top of the list.
  6. Re-launch Google Earth.

Google Earth Version 4.3 supports the following languages:

 
  • Arabic
  • Czech
  • Danish
  • Dutch
  • English (American and UK)
  • Finnish
  • French
  • German
  • Hebrew
  • Indonesian
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Latin American Spanish
  • Norwegian
  • Polish
  • Portuguese
  • Romanian
  • Russian
  • Spanish
  • Swedish
  • Thai
  • Turkish
  • Traditional Chinese

Additional Support

In addition to this user guide, Google offers a number of resources that can help you use and enjoy Google Earth. These include:

Selecting a Server

Note - This section is relevant to Google Earth Pro and EC users.

When you first start Google Earth EC, the Select Server dialog box appears. This enables you to choose the appropriate server settings. Settings in this dialog box include:

To add a database (server) that you can log into in Google Earth EC, click File > Add Database. To log out of a server in Google Earth Pro or EC, choose File > Server Log Out. To log in to a server, choose File > Server Login and choose the settings described above.

Tip - When you add another database (click File > Add Database), Google Earth logs into new database and maintains a connection to the existing database. Using this method, you can view data from up to eight databases simultaneously.

Deactivating Google Earth Plus, Pro or EC

If you have Google Earth Plus, Pro or EC installed, you can deactivate this software. When you deactivate Google Earth Plus, the free version of the product replaces Google Earth Plus. When you deactivate Google Earth Pro or EC, the license is removed so you can use the Pro or EC license on another computer.

To deactivate Google Earth Plus, Pro or EC, click Help > Deactivate Google Earth Plus/Pro/EC license.

Tip - When the Google Earth Pro/EC login and password appear, write these down so you can use them later to activate the software on this or another computer.

Adding Content

You can view fascinating content from the KML Gallery such as 3D models of space satellites, a biography of Bob Marley, a grand prix racing tour, Jane Austen's life and works and much more. To view such content:

  1. In the Places panel, click Add Content. A browser window opens and displays the KML Gallery.
  2. Click Open in Google Earth beside any content that interests you.

Note - The Add Content button only appears in Google Earth version 4.2 and later. However, you can access the aforementioned content in older versions by going to the KML Gallery directly in your web browser.

Navigating in Google Earth

Tip - Follow a tutorial on this subject or play the video below (English only).

In Google Earth, you see the Earth and its terrain in the 3D viewer. You can navigate through this 3D view of the globe in several ways:

You can also manipulate your view of the earth by tilting the terrain for perspectives other than a top-down view. Finally, you can reset the default view for a north-up, top-down view wherever you are.

Using a Mouse

To get started navigating with your mouse, simply position the cursor in the middle of the 3D viewer (image of the earth), click one of the buttons (right or left), move the mouse and note what happens in the viewer. Depending upon which mouse button you press, the cursor changes shape to indicate a change in behavior. By moving the mouse while pressing one of the buttons, you can:

The following table describes all the actions you can accomplish using the mouse. See also Keyboard and Mouse Controls:

 
Move the view in any direction (north, south, east, or west) To move the view, position the mouse cursor on the viewer and press the LEFT/main mouse button. Notice that the cursor icon changes from an open hand Open hand to a closed hand Closed hand. Pull the viewer as if the hand cursor is like a hand on an actual globe, and you want to drag a new part of the earth into view.

Move the view in any direction

You can drag in any direction to reveal new parts of the globe, and you can even drag in circular motions.

Once you are at ground level, you can move around as if you were walking by using the W, A, S, D or arrow keys. You can also use the move joystick.
Drift continuously across the Earth If you want to drift continuously in any direction, hold the left/main mouse button down. Then, briefly move the mouse and release the button, as if you are "throwing" the scene. Click once in the 3D viewer to stop motion.

Zoom in There are a number of ways to zoom in with the mouse.
  • You can double-click anywhere in the 3D viewer to zoom in to that point. Single-click to stop, or double-click to zoom in more.
  • If your mouse has a scroll wheel, use it to zoom in by scrolling towards you. Use the ALT (Option on the Mac) key in combination with the scroll wheel to zoom in by smaller increments. More settings.
  • You can also position the cursor on the screen and press the RIGHT mouse button (CTRL click on the Mac). Once the cursor changes to a double arrow, move the mouse backward or pull toward you, releasing the button when you reach the desired elevation. Note that crosshairs appear and that your view zooms toward this.

    If you want to zoom continuously in, hold the button down and briefly pull the mouse down and release the button, as if you are "throwing" the scene. Click once in the viewer to stop the motion. Note that your viewing angle swoops (tilts) as you approach ground level.
  • On some Macintosh laptops, you can drag two fingers across the trackpad to zoom in and out.
Zoom out There are a number of ways to zoom out with the mouse.
  • Using the RIGHT mouse button (CTRL click on the Mac), double-click anywhere in the 3D viewer to zoom out from that point. The viewer will zoom out by a certain amount. Single-click to stop, or right double-click (CTRL click on the Mac) to zoom out more.
  • If your mouse has a scroll wheel, you can use the scroll wheel to zoom out by scrolling away from you (forward motion). Use the ALT (Option on the Mac) key in combination with the scroll wheel to zoom out by smaller increments. More settings.
  • You can also position the mouse cursor on the screen and press the RIGHT mouse button (CTRL click on the Mac). Once the cursor changes to a double arrow, move the mouse forward or push away from you, releasing the button when you reach the desired elevation. Note that crosshairs appear and that your view zooms toward this. If you want to zoom continuously out, hold the right button (CTRL click on the Mac) down and briefly push the mouse forward and release the button, as if you are "throwing" the scene. Click once in the viewer to stop motion.
Tilt the view If your mouse has a either middle button or a depressible scroll wheel, you can tilt the view by depressing the button and moving the mouse forward or backward. If your mouse has a scroll wheel, you can tilt the view by pressing the SHIFT key and scrolling. You can also press Shift and the left mouse button and drag. Note that crosshairs appear and that your view tilts from this point.

See Tilting and Viewing Hilly Terrain for more information.

Look To look around from a single vantage point, as if you were turning your head, press Ctrl and left mouse button and drag.
Rotate the view If your mouse has either a middle button or a depressible scroll wheel, you rotate the view by clicking on the middle button and moving the mouse to the left or right. You can also press Shift and the left mouse button and drag. Note that crosshairs appear and that your view rotates around this.

You can also use the CTRL (Command/Open Apple Key on the Mac) key in combination with the scroll wheel to rotate the view. Press CTRL (Command/Open Apple Key on the Mac) and scroll UP to rotate clockwise, CTRL (Command/Open Apple Key on the Mac) + scroll DOWN to rotate counter-clockwise. See Tilting and Viewing Hilly Terrain for more information.

Interact with 3D buildings Learn more.
Mouse wheel See above. To change these settings, click Tools > Options > Navigation (on the Mac: Google Earth > Preferences > Navigation > Mouse Wheel Settings). Move the slider to set how fast or slow your viewpoint of the earth zooms in or out. Check Invert Mouse Wheel Zoom Direction to reverse the direction of zooming when you use the mouse wheel.
Other controllers (Windows and Linux) Tools > Options > Navigation > Navigation Mode > Pan and Zoom. (on the Mac: Google Earth > Preferences > Navigation > Non-mouse controller settings). If you use a joystick or other non-mouse controller, you can also change how perspective moves in the 3D viewer under Non-mouse controller settings. Choose User-Based to move your particular vantage point or Earth Based to move the globe. Check Reverse Controls to reverse the actions of the joystick.

Using the Navigation Controls New!

To view and use the navigation controls, move the cursor over right corner of the 3D viewer. After you start Google Earth and move the cursor over this area, the navigation controls fade from sight when you move the cursor elsewhere. To view these controls again, simply move the cursor over the right corner of the 3D viewer.

Note - If the navigation controls do not appear when you move the cursor over the right corner of the 3D viewer, click View > Show Navigation > Automatically and try again.

To hide or show the compass icon in the 3D viewer, click View > Compass. See also Showing or Hiding Items in the 3D Viewer.

The Google Earth navigation controls offer the same type of navigation action that you can achieve with mouse navigation. In addition, you can use the controls to zoom and swoop (perhaps for a perspective on terrain) or to rotate your view. The following diagram shows the controls and explains their functions.


 
Using the Navigation Controls
  1. Click the north-up button to reset the view so that north is at the top of the screen. Click and drag the ring to rotate your view.
  2. Use the Look joystick to look around from a single vantage point, as if you were turning your head. Click an arrow to look in that direction or continue to press down on the mouse button to change your view. After clicking an arrow, move the mouse around on the joystick to change the direction of motion.
  3. Use the Move joystick to move your position from one place to another. Click an arrow to look in that direction or continue to press down on the mouse button to change your view. After clicking an arrow, move the mouse around on the joystick to change the direction of motion.
  4. Use the zoom slider to zoom in or out (+ to zoom in, - to zoom out) or click the icons at the end of the slider. As you move closer to the ground, Google Earth swoops (tilts) to change your viewing angle to be parallel to the Earth's surface. You can turn off this automatic tilt (Tools > Options > Navigation > Navigation controls; Mac: Google Earth > Preferences > Navigation > Navigation controls).

You can also use the keyboard to control navigation. See 3D Viewer Navigation in Keyboard Controls for more information.

 

Tilting and Viewing Hilly Terrain

Learn how to tilt using your mouse.

When you first start Google Earth, the default view of the earth is a "top-down" view, which is straight down.

The following figures show a comparison view of Mount Shasta in California with and without tilt enabled.

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Top down view
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Tilted view

You can adjust the appearance of the terrain if you would like the elevation to appear more pronounced. To do this, click Tools > Options > 3D View from the Tools menu (for the Mac, choose Google Earth > Preferences > 3D View) and change the Elevation Exaggeration figure. You can set it to any value from 1 to 3, including decimal points. A common setting is 1.5, which achieves an obvious yet natural elevation appearance. See Viewing Preferences for more information.

Resetting the Default View

After tilting and rotating the 3D view in Google Earth, you can always quickly reset to the default north-up and top-down view. To do this:

 
Note - To quickly return to a known, familiar spot if you get lost, click on the Starting location placemark in the My Places folder. This returns you to the center of your country (or a country that speaks your language). You can also edit the location for the Starting location placemark if you want to. See Editing Places and Folders for more information.
 

Consider also using the Overview Map Window as a way to provide an additional perspective on your location, especially when you are zoomed in to unfamiliar places.

Setting the Start Location

You can set the starting (default) location that appears each time you launch Google Earth. To do this, navigate to the appropriate location and perspective and click View > Make this my start location.

Displaying the Sun New!

You can display the sun and sunlight across the landscape, To do this:

  1. Click View > Sun or the Sun button Sun button icon. Google Earth displays the current level of daylight at the location you are viewing. Note that the time slider appears.
  2. To change the time of day, drag the time slider right or left. Depending on your location and time of year, you can view the sunrise or sunset while looking east or west.
  3. To display an animation of sunlight across the landscape, click the time slider play button.
  4. To hide the sun, click View > Sun or the Sun button Sun button icon.

Tip - This feature produces dramatic effects when you are viewing hilly or mountainous terrain.

About Imagery Dates

Google Earth displays the approximate date of displayed imagery in the status bar at the bottom in the 3D viewer. As you mouse over a location, this information depicts the date of the imagery. Note that this date is only approximate.

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