Google Earth VR

Google

Released: Nov 16, 2016
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Last updated: 16 Sep 2026, 13:52 GMT

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16 posts

13 Feb 2018Developer post
Google Earth VR Update - Feb. 13, 2018
Release Notes: Navigation enabled in Street View peek mode (when you place the preview sphere over your head). Crossfading between Street View 360 photo transitions. Enabled button on nondominant controller to slow down flight speed. Bug fixes.
Release Notes:

Navigation enabled in Street View peek mode (when you place the preview sphere over your head).
Crossfading between Street View 360 photo transitions.
Enabled button on nondominant controller to slow down flight speed.
Bug fixes.
Original post
13 Feb 2018Developer post
Google Earth VR Update - Feb. 13, 2018
Release Notes: Navigation enabled in Street View peek mode (when you place the preview sphere over your head). Crossfading between Street View 360 photo transitions. Enabled button on nondominant controller to slow down flight speed. Bug fixes.
Release Notes:

Navigation enabled in Street View peek mode (when you place the preview sphere over your head).
Crossfading between Street View 360 photo transitions.
Enabled button on nondominant controller to slow down flight speed.
Bug fixes.
Original post
20 Dec 2017Developer post
Explore more, and faster than ever before
The Earth is a big place, and with 196.9 million square miles to explore, we could all benefit from being able to explore more, faster. Today’s update lets you do just that. With Street View navigation, you can take in all the sights without ever leaving Street View mode. As long
The Earth is a big place, and with 196.9 million square miles to explore, we could all benefit from being able to explore more, faster.
Today’s update lets you do just that. With Street View navigation, you can take in all the sights without ever leaving Street View mode. As long as an adjacent 360 photo exists, you’ll be able to stroll along the streets and roads as if you’re there.
Additionally, we’ve worked hard to make changes that more efficiently use your bandwidth, resulting in faster load times. Over the holidays, check out medieval architecture in Sofia, fly over the monastery of El Escorial in Spain, or walk up the Selarón steps in Rio. And as always, happy exploring!
Release notes

Street View navigation: Ability to navigate between Street View 360 photos by selecting icon in the direction of the next connected 360 photo. Note: this feature is only available upon entering Street View mode by pointing the laser at the preview sphere and pulling the trigger. It is not currently supported when placing the preview sphere over your head.
Improved imagery load times: Changes to more efficiently use bandwidth. This will improve imagery load times on Internet connections that may have been slow in the past.
Original post
20 Dec 2017Developer post
Explore more, and faster than ever before
The Earth is a big place, and with 196.9 million square miles to explore, we could all benefit from being able to explore more, faster. Today’s update lets you do just that. With Street View navigation, you can take in all the sights without ever leaving Street View mode. As long
The Earth is a big place, and with 196.9 million square miles to explore, we could all benefit from being able to explore more, faster.
Today’s update lets you do just that. With Street View navigation, you can take in all the sights without ever leaving Street View mode. As long as an adjacent 360 photo exists, you’ll be able to stroll along the streets and roads as if you’re there.
Additionally, we’ve worked hard to make changes that more efficiently use your bandwidth, resulting in faster load times. Over the holidays, check out medieval architecture in Sofia, fly over the monastery of El Escorial in Spain, or walk up the Selarón steps in Rio. And as always, happy exploring!
Release notes

Street View navigation: Ability to navigate between Street View 360 photos by selecting icon in the direction of the next connected 360 photo. Note: this feature is only available upon entering Street View mode by pointing the laser at the preview sphere and pulling the trigger. It is not currently supported when placing the preview sphere over your head.
Improved imagery load times: Changes to more efficiently use bandwidth. This will improve imagery load times on Internet connections that may have been slow in the past.
Original post
29 Sep 2017Developer post
Google Earth VR Update - Sept. 29, 2017
Release Notes: Updated pre-installed cache data Fixed crash at start when audio device’s sample rate is 192 kHz Fixed crash when trying to display a message about why Earth VR could not start Fixed formatting issue with Street View photo attribution Fixed bug where Street View ph
Release Notes:

Updated pre-installed cache data
Fixed crash at start when audio device’s sample rate is 192 kHz
Fixed crash when trying to display a message about why Earth VR could not start
Fixed formatting issue with Street View photo attribution
Fixed bug where Street View photo address would sometimes not update
Original post
29 Sep 2017Developer post
Google Earth VR Update - Sept. 29, 2017
Release Notes: Updated pre-installed cache data Fixed crash at start when audio device’s sample rate is 192 kHz Fixed crash when trying to display a message about why Earth VR could not start Fixed formatting issue with Street View photo attribution Fixed bug where Street View ph
Release Notes:

Updated pre-installed cache data
Fixed crash at start when audio device’s sample rate is 192 kHz
Fixed crash when trying to display a message about why Earth VR could not start
Fixed formatting issue with Street View photo attribution
Fixed bug where Street View photo address would sometimes not update
Original post
14 Sep 2017Developer post
Get a Closer Look With Street View in Google Earth VR
With Google Earth VR, you can go anywhere in virtual reality. Whether you want to stroll along the canals of Venice, stand at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, or soar through the sky faster than a speeding bullet, there’s no shortage of things to do or ways to explore. We love th
With Google Earth VR, you can go anywhere in virtual reality. Whether you want to stroll along the canals of Venice, stand at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, or soar through the sky faster than a speeding bullet, there’s no shortage of things to do or ways to explore. We love this sense of possibility, so we’re bringing Street View to Earth VR to make it easier for you to see and experience the world.
This update lets you explore Street View imagery from 85 countries right within Earth VR. Just fly down closer to street level, check your controller to see if Street View is available and enter an immersive 360° photo. You’ll find photos from the Street View team and those shared by people all around the world.
If you need a fun place to start, check out a couple of our favorite spots. Make your way out to the old ballgame at AT&T Park, or head to the Old Port in Westeros … er, Croatia to see King's Landing from “Game of Thrones.”
Happy exploring!
Release notes

Street View: If you fly close to the Earth, the globe on your non-dominant controller will become a preview lens and indicate whether or not Street View is available. To enter, peek into the preview lens for a quick look, or point and click to enter an immersive 360 photo.
Renamed “Allow human scale” preference to “Restrict altitude”; limits how close users can fly to the ground.
Fixed human scale (experimental): Turn this feature on via the menu to stay human-sized at all altitudes.
Tutorial improvements: Added progress indicators and improved explanation text.
Refreshed pre-installed data cache for faster startup times.
Full release notes
Original post
14 Sep 2017Developer post
Get a Closer Look With Street View in Google Earth VR
With Google Earth VR, you can go anywhere in virtual reality. Whether you want to stroll along the canals of Venice, stand at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, or soar through the sky faster than a speeding bullet, there’s no shortage of things to do or ways to explore. We love th
With Google Earth VR, you can go anywhere in virtual reality. Whether you want to stroll along the canals of Venice, stand at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, or soar through the sky faster than a speeding bullet, there’s no shortage of things to do or ways to explore. We love this sense of possibility, so we’re bringing Street View to Earth VR to make it easier for you to see and experience the world.
This update lets you explore Street View imagery from 85 countries right within Earth VR. Just fly down closer to street level, check your controller to see if Street View is available and enter an immersive 360° photo. You’ll find photos from the Street View team and those shared by people all around the world.
If you need a fun place to start, check out a couple of our favorite spots. Make your way out to the old ballgame at AT&T Park, or head to the Old Port in Westeros … er, Croatia to see King's Landing from “Game of Thrones.”
Happy exploring!
Release notes

Street View: If you fly close to the Earth, the globe on your non-dominant controller will become a preview lens and indicate whether or not Street View is available. To enter, peek into the preview lens for a quick look, or point and click to enter an immersive 360 photo.
Renamed “Allow human scale” preference to “Restrict altitude”; limits how close users can fly to the ground.
Fixed human scale (experimental): Turn this feature on via the menu to stay human-sized at all altitudes.
Tutorial improvements: Added progress indicators and improved explanation text.
Refreshed pre-installed data cache for faster startup times.
Full release notes
Original post
11 Aug 2017Developer post
Total Solar Eclipse 2017
Check out the upcoming total solar eclipse in virtual reality. From the menu, select Total Solar Eclipse to head straight into the path of totality.
11 Aug 2017Developer post
Total Solar Eclipse 2017
Check out the upcoming total solar eclipse in virtual reality. From the menu, select Total Solar Eclipse to head straight into the path of totality.
26 Jul 2017Developer post
Google Earth VR v1.2 update
Today we pushed a minor update to refresh the UI of the mirror window. We also upgraded the cache system — please note that upload size is larger than usual due to this change.
26 Jul 2017Developer post
Google Earth VR v1.2 update
Today we pushed a minor update to refresh the UI of the mirror window. We also upgraded the cache system — please note that upload size is larger than usual due to this change.
18 Apr 2017Developer post
Search, explore, and more with Google Earth VR
When we first launched Google Earth VR, we knew there was something powerful about being able to point anywhere in the world and start flying. You could soar over landscapes and cities, and discover locations you didn't even know existed. But we also know people want to quickly f
When we first launched Google Earth VR, we knew there was something powerful about being able to point anywhere in the world and start flying. You could soar over landscapes and cities, and discover locations you didn't even know existed. But we also know people want to quickly find and revisit the places that mean the most to them, whether it's a childhood home or favorite vacation spot.
So, today we’re launching an update to Earth VR that gives you the ability to search. Just type an address or location name, and you can quickly visit anywhere in the world.
We’ve also added 27 new hand-picked locations to help you discover some of the world's most incredible places. You can check out Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany (the inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle!), stand on the top of Table Mountain in South Africa, fly over Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina, and much more.
And today we're bringing Earth VR to Oculus Rift with support for Oculus Touch controllers. Now, go explore!
Release notes

Search — integrated Google Earth’s search backend with new keyboard
Oculus Rift and Touch controller support
Advanced caching settings (ability to customize location and size) and
Improvements to caching performance
New introductory tour and 27 additional featured locations
Ability to switch dominant controller via game settings or desktop window
Fixed: Surround sound audio. Note: Stereo headphones recommended for best experience.
How to access advanced cache settings:

Navigate to AppData directory (e.g. C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Google\VR\Earth\)
Locate “earth_vr_preferences.json” file
Open in text editor and replace default values (bolded) for "diskCacheDirectoryPath": "C:/ProgramData/Google/VR/Earth/earthdata" and "diskCacheLimitInMb": 2048.
Original post
18 Apr 2017Developer post
Search, explore, and more with Google Earth VR
When we first launched Google Earth VR, we knew there was something powerful about being able to point anywhere in the world and start flying. You could soar over landscapes and cities, and discover locations you didn't even know existed. But we also know people want to quickly f
When we first launched Google Earth VR, we knew there was something powerful about being able to point anywhere in the world and start flying. You could soar over landscapes and cities, and discover locations you didn't even know existed. But we also know people want to quickly find and revisit the places that mean the most to them, whether it's a childhood home or favorite vacation spot.
So, today we’re launching an update to Earth VR that gives you the ability to search. Just type an address or location name, and you can quickly visit anywhere in the world.
We’ve also added 27 new hand-picked locations to help you discover some of the world's most incredible places. You can check out Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany (the inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle!), stand on the top of Table Mountain in South Africa, fly over Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina, and much more.
And today we're bringing Earth VR to Oculus Rift with support for Oculus Touch controllers. Now, go explore!
Release notes

Search — integrated Google Earth’s search backend with new keyboard
Oculus Rift and Touch controller support
Advanced caching settings (ability to customize location and size) and
Improvements to caching performance
New introductory tour and 27 additional featured locations
Ability to switch dominant controller via game settings or desktop window
Fixed: Surround sound audio. Note: Stereo headphones recommended for best experience.
How to access advanced cache settings:

Navigate to AppData directory (e.g. C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Google\VR\Earth\)
Locate “earth_vr_preferences.json” file
Open in text editor and replace default values (bolded) for "diskCacheDirectoryPath": "C:/ProgramData/Google/VR/Earth/earthdata" and "diskCacheLimitInMb": 2048.
Original post
16 Nov 2016Developer post
Bringing the whole wide world to virtual reality
The world has so many beautiful and amazing places to visit. If we're lucky, we're able to travel and see a few of them. But even the most active travelers can only see a fraction. What if we could see them all? Ten years ago, Google Earth began as an effort to help people everyw
16 Nov 2016Developer post
Bringing the whole wide world to virtual reality
The world has so many beautiful and amazing places to visit. If we're lucky, we're able to travel and see a few of them. But even the most active travelers can only see a fraction. What if we could see them all? Ten years ago, Google Earth began as an effort to help people everyw