Navigating
Google Earth with the keyboard
The following keystrokes control the Google Earth application:
Windows/Linux Mac
Command Result
Keystroke(s) Keystroke(s)
Alt + F (English/Japanese)
Alt + F (French)
Opens the File menu. You can use the down
Alt + F (Italian)
File Menu (none) and up arrows to select items once the
Alt + D (German)
menu is open.
Alt + A (Spanish)
Alt + E (English/Japanese)
Alt + M (French)
Opens the Edit menu. You can use the
Alt + M (Italian)
Edit Menu (none) down and up arrows to select items once
Alt + B (German)
the menu is open.
Alt + E (Spanish)
Alt + V (English/Japanese)
Alt + C (French)
Opens the View menu. You can use the
Alt + V (Italian)
View Menu (none) down and up arrows to select items once
Alt + A (German)
the menu is open.
Alt + V (Spanish)
Alt + A (English/Japanese)
Alt + J (French)
Opens the Add menu. Use the down and up
Alt + A (Italian)
Add Menu (none) arrows to select items once this menu is
Alt + Z (German)
open.
Alt + D (Spanish)
Alt + T (English/Japanese)
Alt + O (French)
Opens the Tool menu. Use the down and up
Alt + F (Italian)
Tool Menu (none) arrows to select items once this menu is
Alt + T (German)
open.
Alt + H (Spanish)
Alt + H (English/Japanese)
Alt + A (French)
Opens the Help menu. You can use the
Alt + G (Italian)
Help Menu (none) down and up arrows to select items once
Alt + H (German)
the menu is open.
Alt + Y (Spanish)
Produces the file open dialog box, allowing
CTRL + O
Open File + O you to open all supported Google Earth file
types.
Saves the current view as an image to your
Save Image CTRL + Alt + S + Option + S
computer.
View in Google
CTRL + Alt + M + Option + M Displays the current view in Google Maps.
Maps
Produces the print dialog box, allowing you
Print CTRL + P + P to print the current view, placemark, folder
contents or search results.
E‐mails the current view either as a
Email View CTRL + Alt + E + Option + E
placemark or image file.
CTRL + C Copies the current selection in the 'Places'
Copy + C
listing.
Cuts a placemark or other item from the
listing in the 'Places' panel. Cuts an icon
Cut CTRL + X + X from the 3D viewer. Both icon or listing
item must first be selected. You can use this
feature to organize your places data.
Pastes a placemark or other item into the
selected folder in the 'Places' panel. You
Paste CTRL + V + V
can use this feature to organize your places
data.
Opens a Find field in the Places panel. Use
this to find places that exist in the Places
Find CTRL + F + F
panel. Note that this is different
than search for places on the earth.
Deletes an item selected in the 'Places'
Delete Del Delete
panel.
Enters edit mode for a selected item in the
'Places' panel, so you can change the name
Rename CTRL + Alt + R + Option + R
without bringing up the 'Edit Placemark'
dialog box.
Zoom to selected Zooms into a selected folder, placemark, or
Enter Enter
placemark/item other item in the 'Places' panel.
Toggles between full screen and window
Full screen mode F11 (not supported)
view for the Google Earth application.
Show/Hide
CTRL + Alt + B + Option + B Displays or closes sidebar
sidebar
Produces a latitude and longitude grid over
Lat/Lon grid CTRL + L + L
the surface of the earth in the 3D viewer.
Plays the tour mode for all selected items in
Play Tour CTRL + Alt + P + Option + P
the 'Places' panel.
New placemark CTRL + Shift + P + Shift + P Adds a new placemark to the current view.
New folder CTRL + Shift + N + Shift + N Produces the New Folder dialog box.
New image Produces the New Image Overlay dialog
CTRL + Shift + O + Shift + O
overlay box.
New model CTRL + Shift + M + Shift + M Produces the New Model dialog box
New path CTRL + Shift + T + Shift + T Produces the New Path dialog box.
New polygon CTRL + Shift + G + Shift + G Produces the New Polygon dialog box.
Switches navigation in the 3D viewer to
Trackball mode. This can also be done by
Change
selecting the Trackball option
navigation mode CTRL + T + T
from Tools > Options > Navigation (Google
to Trackball
Earth >Preferences > Navigation on the
Mac).
