Earth

Advanced features

Advanced user guide

Internal browser

Next: Viewing historical imagery
This article will discuss the following:

What is the Internal Browser?

New to Google Earth 5.2, this internal web browser allows you to access the web from within Google Earth. When viewing additional content, a browser will open within the 3D viewer, allowing you to browse the web without leaving Google Earth.

Here are some examples of what you can view inside the internal browser:
  • Help Center or User Guide content
  • Content related to Sponsored Links that appear in the Search Results
  • Content found inside of pop-up balloons including Panoraomio photos, reviews, and My Maps showing user generated content.
  • The Google Earth Gallery Website

Accessing the Internal Browser

First, verify this feature is selected within “General Preferences.” To do this on a Mac, go to Google Earth > Preferences > General . On a PC, you can access the settings of this feature by going to Tools > Options and looking in the Display section, which will be under the General tab. Make sure the box saying “show web results in external browser” is NOT selected. Deselecting this box will allow content from within Google Earth to open in the internal browser by default.

You can access the internal browser by clicking on any link from within Google Earth, this includes all links in placemark snippets, KML balloons, or search results. You can also access the internal browser by selecting items from the Help Menu. When a link is clicked, or a Help item is selected, the internal browser opens automatically within the 3D viewer of Google Earth. If you click the “Add Content” button, this will trigger the Google Earth Gallery website to open within the internal browser.

Using the Internal Browser

 Here are a few tips to remember when using the internal browser within Google Earth:
  • Once you are inside the browser, you can click on links and move from one web page to the next. You can use the arrow buttons at the top right of the browser to move back and forth between web pages.

  • Unlike an external browser, you cannot redirect yourself to a specific URL. Only web pages linked within Google Earth and web pages linked off those pages can be viewed in the internal browser.

  • If at any point you decide you’d rather pop your browser out so you can view the 3D viewer and the browser simultaneously, click the button in the top right hand corner of the browser that says “Open in Firefox” or “Open in Google Chrome.” The browser it mentions should be the default browser set on your computer.

Closing the Internal Browser

When you are finished browsing, click the “Back to Google Earth” button in the top left hand corner of the internal browser. The internal browser will close and you will return to your 3D viewer.

Note: There is no history kept for the internal browser. Once you exit the browser, you cannot get it back without re-entering the browser from a point of entrance within Google Earth.

Deactivating the Internal Browser

If you would like to turn off the internal browser, you can do so by going into Google Earth > Preferences > General on a Mac, or Tools > Options and looking in the Display section on a PC, which will be under the General tab. Select the check box that says ““show web results in external browser.” All web content from within Google Earth will now open in your default external browser.

Next: Viewing historical imagery