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To use Google Earth in 3D, find a place, zoom in, then tilt or rotate the camera with your device’s controls. On a computer, drag the view and use the platform-specific tilt gestures below. On Android, tap the 3D button, then move two fingers to tilt or rotate. The camera can show a 3D perspective even where 3D buildings are unavailable.
What 3D view changes
Google Earth’s 3D view changes the camera perspective; it does not choose a different location or guarantee that buildings will appear in three dimensions. Tilting lowers the camera angle toward the horizon, while rotating changes the direction you face. Controls vary between computer and Android.
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Use 3D view on a computer
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Open Google Earth and navigate to the place you want to explore.
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Zoom with the mouse scroll wheel or a touchpad. Left-click and drag to look in a direction. Google’s computer navigation instructions document the following tilt gestures:
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Windows and Linux: Hold Shift, then left-click and drag.
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Mac: Hold the scroll button and move forward or backward, or hold Shift while scrolling.
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Press
rto return to the default view.
Adjust terrain elevation in the desktop app
Google Earth’s desktop app has a Terrain setting for exaggerating elevation. Open Tools > Options > 3D View on Windows, or Google Earth > Preferences > 3D View on Mac. Enter a value under Terrain and select Apply. Google documents values from 0.01 to 3 and says “1.5 shows a natural elevation.” This setting is for the desktop app, not the web or mobile interface.
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Open the Google Earth Android app and navigate to a place. Pinch to zoom. You can also double-tap and hold with one finger, then slide up or down to zoom.
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Zoom in and tap the 3D control on the right side of the screen to switch from top-down to orbiting 3D view.
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To tilt, hold two fingers on the map and move them up or down. To rotate, move the two fingers around each other.
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Tap the compass to face north.
To change building visibility on Android, open Map Style and enable or disable 3D buildings and trees. This setting is separate from the 3D camera control. Google notes that disabling 3D buildings may improve performance or show newer imagery. Its Android navigation help also cautions that “Not all Google Earth locations can be seen in 3D.”
Turn on 3D buildings in Google Earth Pro
On Google Earth Pro for desktop, building display is controlled through the Layers panel rather than Android’s Map Style menu:
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In the Layers panel, expand Primary Database, then select 3D Buildings.
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Navigate to a place and zoom in until buildings appear in 3D.
Google’s Google Earth Pro instructions also explain how to save a 3D building view as an image.
Why 3D buildings may not appear
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The camera is still top-down: On Android, tap the 3D control, then use two fingers to adjust the view. On a computer, use the tilt gesture for your operating system.
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The 3D Buildings layer is off in Earth Pro: Expand Layers > Primary Database and select 3D Buildings.
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The location lacks 3D coverage: Building coverage is not universal. Google states that not all locations can be seen in 3D, so a missing building model does not necessarily mean a setting is wrong.
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Android performance or imagery is a concern: Google says turning off 3D buildings may improve performance or show newer imagery. Use Map Style to toggle the building display.
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Save a viewpoint for a later tour
Google Earth desktop supports Snapshot Views for placemarks and folders. Orient the placemark or folder to the perspective you want, save that view, and later open the placemark or folder to fly back to it. See Google Earth Outreach’s desktop views and perspectives tutorial.
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