How Street View works

Your friends have given you a date at a specific place, near a store, but you can’t find the exact meeting place? Would you like to virtually visit distant places that you currently have no way of reaching? If these are the questions you are asking, I have the solution for you: Google Street View. Haven’t you ever heard of it? Well, don’t worry: today I’m here to help you and provide you with all the information about it.

Street View is a Google service, accessible from computers, smartphones and tablets, through which it is possible to walk virtually on all the streets in the world. In today’s guide, I will show you how Street View works simply using the web browser. In addition, I will also show you how to install Google Earth: a software from Google for PCs, smartphones and tablets that allows you to virtually travel the planet.

I bet you can’t wait to read the advice I have prepared for you in this guide of mine, right? So what are you waiting for? Let’s not waste any more time: sit comfortably, pay attention to the tips you will find in the next chapters and put them into practice. The result will satisfy you 100%. At this point, I just have to wish you a good reading and, above all, a “good trip” … even if virtual!

Index

• What is Street View
• Use Street View on PC
  • Google Maps
  • Google Earth
• Use Street View on smartphones and tablets
  • Google Street View
  • Google Maps
  • Google Earth

What is Street View

Google Street View is a feature integrated in Google Maps and Google Earth that allows you to virtually travel around the world through 360 ° horizontal and 160 ° vertical panoramic views, made in the streets and in some places of tourist interest.

This service was introduced in 2007 and continues to expand, thanks to the special cameras of Google Street View that are installed on the roof of cars called Google Cars. In some areas, these shots are made thanks to the use of bicycles called Google Bikes, so that it is also possible to reach pedestrian areas.

To virtually visit the places reached by Street View, you can act from a computer, using the Google Earth and Google Maps services, but also from smartphones and tablets, using the special applications created by Google. In the following chapters, I will explain in detail how to use Street View on all platforms for which it is available.

Use Street View on PC

To use Street View from a computer, you can use the Google Maps service, accessible via any web browser, and from  Google Earth, which is also accessible via the Web (provided you use the Google Chrome browser  ) and is also available as an application for Windows and macOS.

Google Maps

To use Street View through Google Maps, the well-known Google navigation service, connected to its main page using any of the most popular Internet browsers and, once its home screen is displayed, use the search engine located in the upper left corner.

Then type in the name of the place you want to visit virtually (for example the Duomo of Milan ) or indicate an address and click on the corresponding search result that is shown to you. The Google Maps cursor will automatically move to the point of interest you have chosen, to allow you to view it on a street map or via satellite, depending on the option you have chosen, using the appropriate item at the bottom left.

Once this is done, to activate Street View mode, zoom in on the place of your interest, using the mouse wheel (or the appropriate area of ​​the trackpad), until this mode is automatically activated. If you do not succeed, to manually activate the road view, hold down the icon with an orange man, at the bottom right, and drag it to the light blue road.

Once Street View mode is activated, you can virtually walk the streets by pressing the arrow icons on the screen or the arrow keys on the keyboard.

If you want to zoom in or out by a point, zoom in or out, using the mouse wheel or the [+] and [-] buttons, located at the bottom right. To close the Street View view mode and return to the top one, click the X button at the top right.

Google Earth

If you prefer to use the Google Earth service, which is dedicated to satellite exploration of the world, connect to its official website using the Google Chrome browser and, once its home screen is displayed, click on the Start Google Earth button.

You will then be shown a 3D image of the Earth and you can choose the place to travel virtually, using the magnifying glass icon located in the left bar. Then click on it and type the place you want to visit in the Search text field.

After clicking on the corresponding search result, it will be shown to you in a 3D view. Now, hold down on the icon with a little man , at the bottom right, and drag it to the place you want to visit, in order to activate the Street View mode.

Once this is done, to move inside it, use the icons with the arrows you see on the screen or the arrow keys on the keyboard. To return to the traditional view, press the X icon located at the top left.

If you do not use Google Chrome as a browser, you can download the free Google Earth Pro program on Windows and macOS: to do so, connect to its official website via the link indicated and press the Accept and download button, which you find in the center of the screen. After that, wait for the download of the executable file to finish.

Now, start the Google Earth Pro installation file by double-clicking on it and, on Windows, install it by clicking on Yes in the User Account Control window. Then wait for the download of all the files necessary for the software to work and for its subsequent automatic start.

On macOS, on the other hand, after having downloaded the .dmg installation file, double-click on it and perform another double-click on the .pkg file, in the screen you see. Then press on the Continue button, then on Install and enter the macOS password, confirming with the Install software button. Finally, click Close to complete the installation procedure.

Once the Google Earth Pro software is started, type the place you want to visit in the search bar located at the top left and click on the corresponding result. Then press the Search button, to be sent back to its satellite view.

At this point, choose whether to zoom in at street level using the mouse wheel (or the appropriate area of ​​the trackpad), until Street View mode is automatically activated, or drag the icon with a little man who see in the upper right corner, in correspondence with a road marked by the blue color.

In case the Street View mode does not activate automatically, click on the little man icon at the top right. At any time you can stop viewing by pressing on the item Exit Street View, which is in the upper right corner. Browsing in Street View is the same as browsing via a browser, so I suggest you read the previous paragraphs again.

Use Street View on smartphones and tablets

If you want to use Street View on smartphones and tablets, you can take advantage of the free applications Google Street View, Google Maps and Google Earth. In the next few lines, I will explain in detail how to download and use them, to virtually visit places and points of interest with this special display mode on the road.

Google Street View

To use Google Street View in the application of the same name for Android or iOS, you must download it via the Play Store or the App Store. If you use  Android, then, connect to the link just indicated and install the app, pressing the Install button and then click Open. If you are using an iPhone or iPad, on the other hand, connected to the App Store link indicated above, press the Get button and confirm via  Face ID, Touch ID or iCloud password and finally presses on Open.

Once the main screen of Google Street View is displayed, use the search engine at the top and type the name or address of the place you want to visit, then tapping on the corresponding search result. Wait to see the map on the screen and then, using gesture, zoom in (place two fingers on the screen and move them in the opposite direction).

Once you reach the street level, tap on the preview image located at the bottom, if present: this will open the Google Street View display mode and you can move within it, to virtually explore the place you want. . To move forward or backward, double-tap on the screen, while swiping your finger to the left, right, up or down you can rotate the view.

At any time, to exit the Google Street View, press the arrow icon which is located in the upper left corner.

Google Maps

You can also activate Street View mode in the Google Maps navigation application. To do this, download the application to your device, if it is not pre-installed, via the Android Play Store or the iOS App Store.

On the main screen of the app, tap on the text field at the top, to type the name or address of the place to visit, and tap on the corresponding search result, to see the street map. Then press on the preview image located in the upper left corner so that you can see the desired place with Street View.

To move virtually, double-tap the screen in the direction you want, while to rotate the view, drag your finger on the screen to the right, left, up or down. To exit this display mode, press the icon with the arrow located in the upper left corner.

Google Earth

If you prefer to use the Google Earth application, to activate Street View mode, download it on your device, via the Android Play Store or the iOS App Store.

With the application started, tap on the icon with the magnifying glass located at the top and type, in the search engine, the name or address of the place to visit. Now, press the icon with a little man at the bottom left and tap on one of the light blue streets that are shown to you, in order to activate the Street View mode.

Move around the view, using the arrow icons on the screen, and move your finger on the screen, to rotate the camera view. At any time, to exit the Street View display mode, press the arrow icon located at the top left.