Frequently Asked Questions About Google Earth
Are you part of Google?
Our site is an independent site and is not a part of Google. We're just such big fans of Google Earth that we want to tell the whole world about it.
How do I get access to the installation guide and help videos?
Just click here to go to the page where you can access them
How old are the satellite images? How often do they get updated?
Google Earth compiles it's images from photographs taken by satellites and aircraft. These images date from within three years. The images are updated on a continuous basis.
Are Google Earth images in real time?
No, they are not. Google Earth images come from satellites and aircraft sometime in the last three years.
Why do I see blurry pictures when I go to my house?
Google Earth combines different image sources to offer smooth viewing, but some places may slightly blurry. Google Earth has high resolution images for 1000's of cities worldwide and even more are on the way.
Are all cities covered in detail?
The whole world is covered to medium resolution. This resolution lets you see geographic features and man-made objects such as towns. However, fine detail of individual buildings are not visible at this resolution.
High-resolution photos that reveal the details of buildings and other objects is available for most of the major cities in the US, Western Europe, Canada, and the UK. 3D buildings are available in 38 US cities (the big cities). More precise road maps are available for the US, Canada, the UK, and Western Europe.
What are the computer requirements to be able to run Google Earth?
Google Earth uses 3D graphics capabilities that come standard on most computers. If you have an older machine, or a laptop computer without a 3D graphics card, it is possible you might not be able to use Google Earth.
You can also visit our About us, Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy pages for more information about us. If you'd like to contact us, you can do so from our contact us page.
