Google Earth shows you current satellite images by default, but you can rewind to see how a location looked months or years ago
Google Earth stores historical satellite photos going back to the mid-2000s for most places on Earth. To see an older image, you use the time slider tool built into the desktop version of Google Earth. The process takes about 30 seconds once you know where to look.
The web version of Google Earth (the one you access through your browser) does not have a time slider yet. If you are using Google Earth on the web, you will need to download the desktop application to access historical images. The desktop version works on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Key Takeaways
- Historical imagery is only available in the desktop version of Google Earth, not the web version.
- The time slider appears in the top left corner of the map once you have zoomed into a specific location.
- Not every location has the same number of historical images — major cities typically have more dates available than rural areas.
- You can compare two different dates side by side by opening the time slider and clicking on specific dates.
Download and open Google Earth desktop
Go to google.com/earth and click the Download Google Earth button. Choose the version for your operating system (Windows or Mac). The download is free and takes a few minutes.
Once installed, open Google Earth and sign in with your Google account. The application will load and show you a current satellite view of Earth. You are now ready to navigate to a location and view its history.
Navigate to the location you want to view
Type an address, city name, or landmark into the search box at the top left. Press Enter or click the search icon. Google Earth will zoom to that location and center it on your screen.
You can also use your mouse to navigate — click and drag to pan around, and scroll to zoom in or out. Get as close or as far away as you need. The time slider will only appear once you have zoomed in to a specific area, so zoom in enough to see street-level detail if you want to see older street views.
Open the time slider and select a date
Look at the top left corner of the map. You should see a clock icon with the label "Imagery date" next to it. Click on this area. A timeline will appear showing you all the dates when Google Earth captured satellite images of that location.
The timeline shows dates as a horizontal bar. Dates with more images available appear as thicker sections on the bar. Click on any date to jump to that image. The map will update to show what that location looked like on that date. You can click back and forth between dates to compare how a place has changed.
Understand what dates are available for your location
Major cities like New York, London, and Tokyo have images from many different dates — sometimes dozens of photos spanning 15 years or more. Rural areas, smaller towns, and developing countries may have only a few images, sometimes just one or two.
If you click on the time slider and see very few dates available, that means Google Earth has not captured many images of that specific area. You can still view the most recent image and any older ones that do exist, but you may not be able to see year-by-year changes the way you can in a major city.
Compare two dates side by side
Once you have selected a date from the time slider, you can compare it to another date by using the split-screen view. Look for the "3D" button in the top right corner of the map. Click the dropdown arrow next to it and select "Split view" or "Comparison view" (the exact label depends on your version).
The map will split into two panels. The left panel shows your original date, and the right panel shows the current date. You can drag the dividing line between them to see more of one image or the other. This makes it easy to spot what has changed — new buildings, roads, vegetation, or other features that have appeared or disappeared.
Troubleshoot if the time slider does not appear
If you do not see the clock icon and "Imagery date" label in the top left, you may be zoomed out too far. Zoom in closer to your location using your mouse scroll wheel or the zoom controls on the right side of the screen. The time slider only appears when you are zoomed to a certain level.
If you are using the web version of Google Earth instead of the desktop version, the time slider will not be available. Close your browser and download the desktop application instead. The web version is simpler but does not include historical imagery.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far back do the images go?
Most locations have images from 2004 or later, but some major cities have photos from the mid-1990s. The oldest available image depends on when Google Earth first captured satellite data for that area. Rural and remote areas often have fewer historical images than cities.
Can I see images from a specific month and year?
Google Earth shows you the dates when images were captured, but you cannot request a specific month if no image exists for that date. You can only view the dates that Google has in its archive. The timeline shows you exactly which dates are available for your location.
Why does my location only have one or two dates available?
Google Earth prioritizes satellite coverage for populated areas and major cities. Remote areas, small towns, and developing regions may have been photographed only once or twice. If your location is rural or less populated, fewer images will be available.
Is the historical imagery the same quality as current images?
Older images are often lower resolution than current ones because satellite technology has improved over time. Images from 2005 may be blurry or pixelated compared to images from 2023. Zoom level and cloud cover at the time the photo was taken also affect image quality.
Can I download or save the historical images I find?
You can take a screenshot of any image you see in Google Earth. Right-click on the map and look for a "Save image" or screenshot option depending on your operating system. Google Earth does not have a built-in download button for historical imagery.