Exploring the world with Google Earth

Move heaven and earth

You can use your mouse to travel the globe:

• Click and drag on the globe to spin it around like you would a desktop globe. You can spin it north-south as well as east-west.
• Double click anywhere to zoom in a bit. When you are zoomed in close enough, the globe turns into a map.
• Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out more quickly. You can also use the plus and minus controls in the bottom right of the screen.

See your location

Clicking the Target icon in the map controls lets you jump to your current location.

eSafety tip

If you want to see your current location in Google Earth, you'll need to click Allow when your browser asks for permission to access your location. This is a safe thing to do as Google Earth doesn’t share your location with anyone.

Zoom in and out

To get a closer look you can zoom in or out using the mouse wheel or with the + and – buttons.

You might notice that some places have a clearer picture when you zoom in close. It all depends on what Google Earth has available for that area. Big cities and famous places tend to have a clearer picture.

Take a 3D view

Google Earth images can appear more realistic when viewed in 3D. The 3D effect tilts the map away from you, and shows elevation such as mountains and valleys.

You can turn the effect on and off by clicking the 2D/3D button next to the globe.

See buildings in 3D

You can also see 3D buildings in some cities. This feature is turned on by default, but to find it:

• click Layers in the bottom left
• find the 3D Buildings option
• click the switch to turn 3D Buildings on or off.

You’ll only see 3D buildings in major cities.

Change your perspective

You can use your mouse to click and hold a spot on the map to drag the map around and see the surrounding area.

Holding the Shift key at the same time lets you rotate and tilt the map, and pressing the Compass icon in the map controls lets you face north again.

The fine detail

If you're on a slow internet connection, it can take a while for all the detail to appear in a map.

As the information downloads, a blue spinning wheel at the bottom left shows progress, and the latitude and longitude readout also changes.

Check out Street View

To see the view from ground level, click on the Street View icon. It looks like a person and is located above the globe in the map controls. Blue lines appear on the map where Street View is available. It’s mostly present on roads, but in some areas, you can get off-road and even wander into shops.

Now click on the blue line nearest a place of interest, and you will see the view from ground level.

Street View controls

While in Street View mode, you can use your mouse to zoom, or hold and drag to turn around on the spot.

You can also click the white arrows to move up and down the street.

Click the Back button in the top left of the screen to return to the aerial view.

Find yourself (part 1)

To practise using the map control features of Google Earth using your current location:

• First, click the Target icon on the map controls to fly to your current location.
• Click 3D to see a more realistic view of your surroundings.
• Click and hold the + sign to zoom in to your location.

Find yourself (part 2)

• Click the Street View icon and then on the blue line on your street.
• Click the white arrows to move around the street.

Well done!

You’ve completed the Exploring the world with Google Earth activity.

You have learned that it's easy to adjust your view of the world in Google Earth. You can zoom in, rotate the map, enjoy a 3D perspective, and even see the view from the ground.

Coming next, you'll learn how to find places of interest in the Finding places special to you activity.