Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To save a location in Google Earth, add a placemark and save it in the place collection for your version: a project in Google Earth for web, or My Places in the desktop app. Give the marker a clear name so you can find it again. If you need a portable copy, export place data as KML or KMZ; use Save Image only when you need a picture of the map.
Save a place in Google Earth for web
- On a computer, open Google Earth and open the project where you want the location saved.
- Choose the option to add a placemark, then click the map at the location you want to mark.
- Choose Save to project.
- In the left panel, find the placemark under the project. Edit its name or description if needed.
To export the project, open its menu and choose the KML export option. The resulting file contains place data that can be reused, rather than a screenshot of the map. Google’s instructions are in Save & share place info.
Save a place in desktop Google Earth
- Navigate to the location in Google Earth on your computer.
- Choose Add Placemark.
- Enter a name. You can also select an icon and, if useful, save the current view.
- Save the placemark. It appears in the left-side My Places list.
Google’s Create & manage placemarks explains how to add and edit markers. Menu labels can vary by operating system and app version.
Find, organize, or change a saved place
In desktop Google Earth, use My Places to locate saved markers. Select a placemark to change its name, position, description, style, color, or icon. You can create folders and drag placemarks into them to group related locations. If you saved a view with a placemark, you can update or reset that view later.
#1 Best Overall
- Explore confidently with the reliable handheld GPS
- 2.2” sunlight-readable color display with 240 x 320 display pixels for improved readability
- Preloaded with Topo Active maps with routable roads and trails for cycling and hiking
- Support for GPS and GLONASS satellite systems allows for tracking in more challenging environments than GPS alone
- 8 GB of internal memory for map downloads plus a micro SD card slot
Take care when deleting a folder: deleting it also deletes the placemarks it contains. Web projects appear in the left panel beneath the project where you saved the marker.
Export place data or save a map picture?
| What you need | Use | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| A reusable or transferable place or project | Export a web project as KML, or use the desktop Save Place As workflow to save a place as KMZ. | Place information. KMZ is a compressed package that includes KML. |
| A visual copy of the current map | In Google Earth Pro, choose Save Image. | An image of the map, with options for resolution, legend, and text sizing. |
KML or KMZ is the better choice if you want to preserve place data; Save Image produces a picture, not an editable set of placemarks. See Google’s save and share instructions and Save your favorite map image.
Rank #2
- Compact and lightweight GPS handheld navigator boasts an anti-slip design offering a bright 3.2" screen that is sunlight readable, even in bright sunlight, plus, physical buttons provide more versatility in any conditions
- Get multi-GNSS support(GPS+GALILEO+BEIDOU+QZSS) for superior positional accuracy,so you know exactly where you are,location precision within 6 ft
- The handheld GPS navigator uses GPS technology to capture your trip or waypoint so you can guide back to your starting position
- Equip with 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter,follow your bearing on the digital compass, which provides an accurate heading even when stationary
- Hike in any weather with the water-resistant design (rated to IP66) ,Rechargeable battery can provide up to 36 hours of battery life in full charge, recharge easily with a standard USB-C cable
Back up or move desktop saved places
Google says desktop saved locations are stored automatically on the computer in myplaces.kml. It also identifies myplaces.backup.kml as a backup file for recovery situations. To move or keep a separate copy of your saved locations, Google lists Google Drive, email, and USB storage as transfer options and recommends backing up myplaces.kml to removable media. These are optional backup methods; you do not need to export a file just to save a placemark in Google Earth. Follow Move saved locations to a new computer for the file workflow.
Add many places at once in Google Earth Pro
For a collection of locations, Google Earth Pro can import coordinates from a delimited spreadsheet and create a placemark for each location. It can also import addresses, but Google lists address import support only for the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain; P.O. box addresses cannot be used.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Rank #3
- Explore confidently with the reliable handheld GPS
- 2.2” sunlight-readable color display with 240 x 320 display pixels for improved readability
- Preloaded with Topo Active maps with routable roads and trails for cycling and hiking
- Support for GPS and GLONASS satellite systems allows for tracking in more challenging environments than GPS alone
- 8 GB of internal memory for map downloads plus a micro SD card slot
- Prepare a delimited spreadsheet containing the coordinates or supported addresses.
- Import the data in Google Earth Pro using its map-data import workflow.
- Check the imported locations in Temporary Places.
- Move the imported items to My Places before exiting if you want them to persist.
Google’s Import & change map data covers supported data and import behavior.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you create or edit saved places on a phone?
Google’s documented project workflow does not support creating or editing projects on mobile devices. Its help page says, “Projects can be viewed, but not created or edited, on your mobile devices.” Use a computer to create or change a project under this workflow. See Style your places.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- 6” high-resolution navigator includes map updates of North America
- Hands-free calling when paired with your compatible smartphone with BLUETOOTH technology and convenient Garmin voice assist lets you ask for directions to places you want to go
- Road trip–ready features include the HISTORY database of notable sites, a U.S. national parks directory, Tripadvisor traveler ratings and millions of Foursquare POIs
- Driver alerts for things such as school zones, sharp curves and speed changes help encourage safer driving and increase situational awareness
- Access live traffic, fuel prices, parking, weather and smart notifications when you pair this navigator with your compatible smartphone running the Garmin Drive app
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