Google Earth Mouse Navigation and Keys

Xah Lee, 2011-03-12, 2011-11-08

This page explains Google Earth's mouse and navigation keys.

Mouse Navigation

• Mouse Wheel = zoom
• Left Mouse Button = pan
• Middle Mouse Button = move left/right = rotate; move up/down = tilt
• Right mouse button = smart zoom/rotate/tilt. (move up/down = zoom; move left/right = rotate; when close to the ground = auto tilt)

By Keyboard

• Zoom = PgUp, PgDn
• Pan = ←, →, ↑, ↓
• Rotate = 【Shift+←】, 【Shift+→】
• Tilt = 【Shift+↑】, 【Shift+↓】

Holding down Alt before doing the above will make the steps smaller.

Extra for Control Freaks

• tilt camera = 【Ctrl+↑】 and 【Ctrl+↑】
• rotate camera = 【Ctrl+←】 and 【Ctrl+→】 (camera is rotated around a axis from earth center to your camera)