Discover 10 hidden features in Google Earth Pro—from flight simulation to elevation profile—that can transform your mapping and exploration experience
Think you know everything about Google Earth Pro? Think again. Beneath its sleek globe interface lie powerful tools and lesser-known features that can turn your everyday map browsing into a rich experience of analysis, storytelling, and exploration.
Whether you're an educator, geographer, researcher, or just an Earth enthusiast, here are 10 hidden features of Google Earth Pro that will make you look at the world with new eyes.
🔎 1. Historical Imagery: Travel Back in Time
Most users never notice the Time Slider tool, but it’s a gem.
🔧 How to Use:
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Click the clock icon (🕓) on the top toolbar.
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View satellite images from different years (as far back as the 1980s in some locations).
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Analyze urban growth, deforestation, glacier retreat, and more.
🕰️ Great for environmental studies, historical comparisons, and storytelling.
✈️ 2. Flight Simulator Mode: Pilot the Skies
Turn Google Earth into a virtual cockpit and fly anywhere on Earth.
🔧 How to Activate:
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Press Ctrl + Alt + A (Windows) or Command + Option + A (Mac)
Choose an aircraft (F-16 or SR22) and airport
Use a joystick or keyboard controls to navigate
🛫 An immersive experience for aviation lovers and educators.
📐 3. Measure Elevation Profiles
Use this to study topography along any path you draw.
🔧 Steps:
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Draw a Path using the line tool.
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Right-click the path in the Places panel > “Show Elevation Profile”
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A graph appears showing distance vs. elevation
🏔️ Perfect for hikers, urban planners, and terrain analysts.
🧭 4. View Real-Time Coordinates and Elevation
Hover your mouse anywhere on Earth to see:
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Latitude / Longitude
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Altitude
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Terrain elevation (from SRTM/ASTER data)
📍 Found in the bottom-right corner of the window.
⚖️ Useful for referencing locations in fieldwork or GPS navigation.
🗺️ 5. Import GIS Data: Shapefiles, CSV, GPX, and More
Google Earth Pro supports professional-level data import.
Supported formats:
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.SHP(shapefiles) -
.KMLand.KMZ -
.CSV(with coordinates) -
.GPXfrom GPS trackers
🔗 You can even style the imported layers, assign colors, and create pop-ups.
🔄 6. Record Animated Tours
Instead of static maps, create dynamic presentations.
🔧 How to Use:
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Click the Record Tour (video icon) at the bottom of the screen
Navigate through placemarks or regions
Add narration if a microphone is connected
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Save and export as
.kmzor video (screen capture required)
🎥 Great for student presentations, travel storytelling, or professional briefings.
🗻 7. Enable Terrain and 3D Buildings
Make your maps come alive in 3D.
Steps:
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Turn on Terrain from the Layers panel
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Zoom in and tilt (press
Shift + mouse drag) to see valleys and peaks -
Turn on 3D Buildings for cities like New York, Tokyo, and Paris
🏙️ Helps visualize topography, skylines, and human-environment interaction.
🧾 8. Geotagged Photos and User-Contributed Content
Explore places through the lens of real people.
Enable:
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Turn on the Photos layer
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Click the blue photo icons to view geotagged images from Panoramio, Wikimedia, etc.
📸 A creative way to connect cultural geography with visual storytelling.
🧳 9. Plot GPS Tracks and Create Travel Diaries
Import .gpx files from hiking, biking, or driving trips.
Use Case:
Visualize your travel path
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Add placemarks with journal entries or photos
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Export and share as a
.kmzfile
🌍 A perfect digital scrapbook for travelers and students.
🖼️ 10. Overlay Custom Maps and Diagrams
Add transparency-adjustable images like:
Historical maps
Land use plans
Weather radar
Archaeological site maps
🔧 How:
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Go to Add > Image Overlay
Resize and align to match the base map
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Adjust transparency for a layered look
🧠 Great for comparing past and present, or adding custom reference data.
Tip: Use the “View > Grid” Option
Display latitude and longitude lines for coordinate referencing, navigation lessons, or geographic context.
Conclusion
Google Earth Pro isn’t just a map viewer—it’s a virtual laboratory for exploration, education, and analysis. Whether you're an educator, student, researcher, or hobbyist, these hidden features unlock powerful tools to deepen your understanding of the planet.
So the next time you open Google Earth Pro, don’t just look around—dig deeper. The world has stories to tell… and now, you know how to listen.
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Written by: Jamal Chaaouan | Google Earth Pro Academy
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