3D Viewer - See Your Map in 3D

The 3D Viewer shows the area you are looking at, and your drawings on it, as a 3D scene with buildings and terrain. You can look around, save pictures of the view, save a 3D view to your map, and create a camera flight or orbit.

Free accounts get a limited number of 3D views to try it. When they run out, you see Upgrade to Pro - Unlock Full Access!

Open the 3D Viewer

1. Move the map to the area you want to see.
2. On the right side of the map, click the 3D button. It is just above the Street View person.

The 3D Viewer opens on the same area. After a moment the camera starts to circle slowly. Click, scroll, or press a key to stop it.

You can also open a single shape in 3D. Right-click the shape and choose View 3D.

Move around

Click the ? button in the top-right corner of the viewer to see the controls.

For touch screens, click Touch in the same help box.

Change the base map and lighting

• Click the small map picture in the top-right corner to pick a base map, such as Google 3D, Terrain, Road, or Topo. With a base map other than Google 3D, you can check Use 3D Terrain and set Exaggerate to make hills taller.
• Click the gear to turn on Shadows, Soft Shadows, Sun, or FXAA (smoother edges).
• Use the clock in the bottom-right corner to set the time of day. Drag the hand to set the time, and click AM or PM.

Capture an image

Under Capture Image, choose where the picture goes:

• To Map adds the picture to your map as a popup at the center of the 3D view.
• To Overlay adds the picture to a shape's description. If no shape is chosen, pick one from the list first.

Then:

1. Move the view until the picture looks the way you want.
2. At the bottom, pick a shape for the picture: wide, tall, or square.
3. Click Save. Click Cancel to stop without saving.

You must be logged in to save a 3D image.

Save a 3D view to your map

1. Set up the view you want, including the time of day and base map.
2. Click Save View To Map.

A camera marker named Click To View In 3D is added to your map, and the viewer closes. You are asked Show view on map load/start? Click Yes to open this view every time the map loads, or No to keep it as a marker only.

Create a flight or orbit

A flight moves the camera along a line or shape you drew on the map. An orbit circles the camera around a shape. Draw the line or shape on the map before you start.

1. Click Create Flight/Orbit.
2. Pick a Camera Mode: - Free Look (Move Camera while flying) - Aerial (Always looking straight down) - POV (First Person) - Look At (Fly while looking at point) - Orbit (looping)
3. Fill in the settings. Under each box, click Select and pick a shape from the list.

4. For more settings, click More Options: - Look At Height: how high above the ground the camera aims. - Loop: play the flight again and again. Orbits always loop. - Marker Depth: let buildings and terrain hide markers that are behind them.
5. Click Create Flight Now.

While it plays, you can click Restart, Cancel (to go back to the settings), or Save To Map. Saving adds a camera marker named Click To Start Flight or Click To Start Orbit, and asks if it should start when the map loads.

Add a 3D model

Click Add Model to upload a 3D model, or drag a model file onto the viewer. Click a model to move, rotate, or resize it, then click Save.