To get a bird’s eye view in Google Earth Pro, zoom to the place you want, then tilt the view. On Windows or Linux, hold Shift and drag with the left mouse button. On a Mac, the tilt gesture differs (see the controls table below). Tilting shows building sides and terrain relief. Turning on the 3D Buildings layer adds modeled structures, and File > Save Image exports what is on screen. Google Earth imagery is not live, so every view reflects a capture date that may be months or years old.
Before you start
- Google Earth Pro, the desktop application. This guide covers that program only, not the web version of Google Earth.
- A mouse with a scroll wheel is convenient for zooming, but a touchpad also works. Google’s navigation instructions say no special branded mouse is required.
Create an oblique (tilted) view
Google’s help article Explore the Earth on your computer describes the navigation controls. When you first start Google Earth, you’ll find a straight view of the globe, so you need to search for a location and zoom in before tilting.
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- Search for the place. Type an address, landmark, or city name into the search panel and select the result. Google Earth Pro moves the camera there.
- Zoom to a useful scale. Scroll the mouse wheel or use the touchpad until you can see streets or building footprints. A city-wide scale is too far out to read tilt effects clearly.
- Tilt the view. On Windows or Linux, hold Shift, press and hold the left mouse button, and drag up or down. On a Mac, use the controls in the table below.
- Rotate the view. Drag sideways to turn the camera around the point you are viewing.
- Return to the default view. Press r to go back to the straight-down default.
Controls by platform
| Task | Windows / Linux | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Zoom | Scroll wheel or touchpad | Scroll wheel or touchpad |
| Tilt (oblique view) | Shift + left-click-and-drag | Scroll-button gesture, or Shift + scrolling |
| Rotate | Drag with the mouse | Drag with the mouse, using the scroll-button or Shift controls described by Google |
| Reset to default straight-down view | Press r | Press r |
Google’s instructions describe the Mac gestures in general terms. If they do not respond on your Mac, check the navigation page linked above for the current wording.
Choosing a view
| View | Best for | What it shows | Date caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight-down (default) | Orientation and reading a map | Footprints, roads, and layout from above | Date depends on the imagery for the area in view; see the date notes below |
| Tilted (oblique) | Seeing terrain relief and building sides | Vertical faces of buildings and slopes | Same imagery dates as the straight-down view |
| 3D Buildings layer | Judging building massing and shape in a city | Modeled 3D structures in dense areas | No collection date is displayed; see the date notes below |
View buildings in 3D
The 3D Buildings layer is documented in Google’s help article View buildings in 3D.
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- In the Layers panel, expand Layers > Primary Database > 3D Buildings and enable it.
- Zoom in until buildings appear in 3D.
- Tilt the view with the controls above to see the sides of the structures.
If buildings do not appear, zoom closer and confirm the layer is still enabled.
Save the view as an image
Set up the view you want first, then save it with one of these methods:
- Go to File > Save Image > Save Image, or use the Save Image control on the toolbar.
- In the map options, adjust resolution, legend, and text size as needed.
- Choose a file location and save.
Google’s help states that borders, labels, icons, and other visible information appear in the saved image, so clear any layers or labels you do not want before you save. Google’s instructions also say you can use the saved images in other places. See Save your favorite map image for the current options.
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Historical imagery
To see earlier imagery, open the historical imagery time slider and move it to a date. The image shown was captured on or before that date. Available dates depend on the location, and some places have only one dated image.
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Understanding imagery dates
Google’s help article How images are collected is the primary reference for date qualifications. Keep these points in mind:
- Satellite and aerial images are collected by cameras on satellites and aircraft. They are not real-time, so you won’t see live changes.
- An image may have a single capture date or a date range.
- An aerial mosaic can combine images collected on different days or months, and the displayed date can vary across the mosaic.
- Google Earth does not display collection dates for 3D imagery, because the aerial images used to create it come from multiple dates.
- Google says image-date information comes from imagery providers and may be incomplete or inaccurate.
- Displayed dates can be affected by time-zone differences.
Community estimates of imagery age
A Google Earth community guide, last edited August 11, 2026, states that average imagery age varies by location and supplier. It estimates an average age of 1 to 3 years. This is community guidance, not an official Google statistic, and it should not be applied to every location. The same guide notes that some additional imagery may need to be purchased, and that the original dataset provider is the place to ask for details.
Google Earth Pro desktop downloads end June 25, 2027
In a Google Earth Community announcement posted July 7, 2026, Google said new downloads of the desktop app are scheduled to end on June 25, 2027. According to the announcement, existing users, and people who download before that date, can keep using the app afterward. If you plan to install it on a new computer, do so before that date, and check the announcement for any later changes.
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Troubleshooting
- Tilt does not respond: Confirm you hold Shift before pressing the left mouse button on Windows or Linux. On a Mac, check the gesture in the table above.
- View is stuck at an odd angle: Press r to return to the default straight-down view.
- Buildings do not appear: Zoom closer and confirm 3D Buildings is enabled under Layers > Primary Database.
- Image date seems wrong: Check the date for the area, remember that mosaics can mix dates, and see the provider caveats above.
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