A Hidden Gem Inside Google Earth
In 2007, Google quietly embedded a full-fledged flight simulator in Google Earth without any official announcement. It wasn’t accessible from the menus, and few people knew it existed. To unlock it, users had to enter a secret key combination: Ctrl + Alt + A on Windows, or Command + Option + A on Mac. The secret eventually got out after a user stumbled upon it, and by 2008, Google added an official button to the menu.
From Secret Feature to Open Skies
Users could choose between two aircraft: an F-16 fighter jet or a Cirrus SR22, a small four-seat propeller airplane, to fly over real satellite imagery of the entire planet. However, for 18 years, this feature was restricted to the downloadable version of Google Earth. The web version wasn’t able to handle it—until recently. On June 12, 2026, Google made the flight simulator available directly in the browser for everyone, free of charge.
Getting Started—No Installation Needed
Access is simple. Just open Google Earth in your preferred browser—Chrome, Safari, or others—click “Explore the Earth”, then select the “Tools” menu at the top and launch the flight simulator. You pilot using your keyboard and mouse, with nothing to install or set up. By default, Google Earth displays a flat, abstract map. To experience real satellite imagery, switch the background from “Map” to “Satellite” as Google advises.
Meant for Fun, Not Serious Training
The flight physics are intentionally kept simple. Google is clear that this simulator is made for casual flying over the globe, not for real-world pilot training. If you fly too quickly or have a slow connection, satellite images may take a moment to load as you travel. That technical challenge is the impressive part.
Demanding rapid updates from a 3D mapping platform is no small feat. Moving around slowly gives the system time to load new terrain, but flying fast at low altitude requires the software to fetch, decompress, and display imagery faster than you can move within it. Making this work inside a browser signals that Google Earth’s web version now offers features once only supported by its desktop counterpart.
Google isn’t the only player in this area. GeoFS, for instance, has offered a free browser-based flight simulator for years, building on the Cesium engine with global satellite imagery. But when Google, the mapmaker itself, opens up its own flight simulator to everyone, it lifts the scale to a new level. Alongside this update, Google has reportedly added altitude profiles and new import formats to the web version, further aligning it with its professional desktop offerings.
