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Google Earth has two flight-simulator experiences with different controls: the installed desktop application and the experimental web simulator. On desktop, open Tools > Enter Flight Simulator (or press Ctrl + Alt + A on Windows/Linux or ⌘ + Option + A on Mac). In the web version, use Explore Earth > Tools > Flight simulator. The key charts below keep those control schemes separate so you can use the instructions that match your screen.
The desktop simulator gives you mouse-and-keyboard flying with optional joystick support. The web simulator documents keyboard controls, an on-screen thrust control and a click-to-toggle mouse mode. Both are software simulations, not aviation training, so make small inputs and use the recovery options when you lose control.
Choose the simulator you are actually using
Google’s official documentation describes two interfaces. The installed Google Earth application supports Mac, Windows and Linux and includes a configurable joystick option. The browser-based experience is labeled experimental in Google for Developers documentation and has its own entry path, map behavior and key assignments. A shortcut that works in one version should not be assumed to work in the other.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems| Experience | How to open it | Documented input | Distinctive behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desktop Google Earth | Tools > Enter Flight Simulator, or Ctrl + Alt + A (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + Option + A (Mac) | Mouse and keyboard; optional joystick support | Choose aircraft and starting location before entering; includes an instrument-style HUD |
| Google Earth web simulator | Explore Earth > Tools > Flight simulator | Keyboard, mouse-control toggle and on-screen thrust indicator | Abstract map is the default; Satellite view adds imagery; direct terrain impact pauses the flight |
For general Google Earth navigation shortcuts, use the separate Google Earth keyboard-shortcuts guide. Those navigation commands are not a replacement for the flight controls in this article.
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Desktop Google Earth: set up and start a flight
Requirements and controller choices
Install Google Earth on a supported Mac, Windows or Linux computer. Google lists a mouse or joystick plus a keyboard as the desktop input options. A joystick is optional; if you use one, turn on Joystick support in the simulator settings. Google does not promise that every gamepad or joystick model works in every release, so treat the mouse and keyboard as the baseline setup.
Before entering the simulator, select the aircraft and starting location. Google’s desktop help suggests the SR22 for beginners and the F-16 for skilled pilots. You cannot change the aircraft, start point or controller while the simulator is running; exit first, make the change, and then start again. The complete desktop instructions are in Google Earth Help’s “Fly around the world” guide.
Enter, position the mouse and exit
- Open Tools > Enter Flight Simulator, or use Ctrl + Alt + A on Windows/Linux or ⌘ + Option + A on Mac.
- Choose the aircraft and takeoff location shown in the simulator dialog.
- For mouse control, move the pointer to the center of the screen and click once. Keep the pointer near the center for fine control.
- To leave, use the same keyboard shortcut for your platform or click Exit flight simulator.
Desktop controls and keyboard shortcuts
The desktop model combines mouse movement for the main attitude change with keyboard corrections. Move the mouse only a little; large movements can produce an abrupt pitch or bank.
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| Action | Desktop control | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Increase thrust and taxi | Page Up | Build speed on the ground and continue increasing thrust for takeoff. |
| Pitch and primary attitude | Mouse movement | Move the mouse slightly down to raise the nose for takeoff; recenter it after reaching a steady attitude. |
| Directional corrections | Arrow keys | Use small taps for turning or banking corrections once airborne. |
| Slow look-around turns | Arrow key + Alt | Turns slowly while you look around. |
| Fast look-around turns | Arrow key + Ctrl | Turns quickly while looking around. |
| Pause or resume | Spacebar | Freezes the simulation and starts it again. |
| Leave simulator | Ctrl + Alt + A (Windows/Linux); ⌘ + Option + A (Mac) | Returns to normal Google Earth, as does the Exit flight simulator control. |
Take off without overcorrecting
- Apply thrust and let the aircraft taxi in a straight line.
- As speed builds, make a slight downward mouse movement so the nose rises. Avoid holding a large movement.
- When airborne, bring the pointer back toward the center to stabilize the attitude.
- Use brief arrow-key taps to correct heading or bank. If the aircraft starts oscillating, pause, recenter the mouse, and resume with smaller inputs.
This sequence follows Google’s desktop guidance: build thrust, taxi, move the mouse slightly, then center it after reaching altitude. It is a software-control technique, not instruction for operating a real aircraft.
Read the desktop HUD
The desktop heads-up display exposes the information needed to diagnose a turn or climb. Google identifies readouts for heading, speed, bank angle, vertical speed, throttle, rudder, aileron, elevator, flap and landing-gear indicators, pitch and altitude. Watch the trend rather than chasing a single number: a rising vertical-speed indication means the aircraft is climbing, while a growing bank angle calls for a small opposite correction.
Web simulator: entry and controls
The browser experience is documented by Google for Developers as “Fly around the world (Experimental).” Open Google Earth on the web, choose Explore Earth > Tools > Flight simulator, and click inside the simulation to give it focus.
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| Action | Web control | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Increase thrust | Page Up or the on-screen increase-thrust indicator | Raises thrust for acceleration and climb. |
| Decrease thrust | Page Down | Reduces thrust. |
| Pitch up or down | Up and Down arrows | Controls the nose attitude. |
| Roll left or right | Left and Right arrows | Tilts the aircraft into a turn. |
| Switch input mode | Click inside the simulator | Toggles between mouse-guided controls and keyboard controls. |
The web page’s map shortcuts, including historical-imagery commands, are disabled during flight so they do not conflict with the aircraft keys. If a key appears to do nothing, click the simulator first; focus may still be on the surrounding page.
Use the web simulator’s map views
The default web basemap is abstract and does not show terrain detail. Open the map-style control and choose Satellite when you want photorealistic satellite imagery beneath the aircraft. This changes the visual context, not the aircraft physics or key assignments. Google’s web instructions and experimental feature notes are available at Google for Developers.
Desktop versus web: which controls fit your setup?
| Need | Desktop Google Earth | Web simulator |
|---|---|---|
| Simple keyboard-only flying | Possible, but mouse movement is the primary attitude control and arrows provide corrections. | Directly documented: arrows handle pitch and roll, while Page Up/Page Down handle thrust. |
| Physical joystick | Optional Joystick support setting is documented. | Joystick compatibility is not established by the cited web instructions. |
| Visual instruments | HUD includes flight and control indicators. | The cited documentation emphasizes basic controls and map presentation. |
| Photorealistic ground imagery | Use the normal Google Earth globe and its available imagery. | Switch the default abstract basemap to Satellite. |
| Changing aircraft or launch point | Exit before changing either selection. | The cited web instructions do not document an equivalent mid-flight change workflow. |
Recover from a crash or an unstable flight
Web terrain impact
When the web aircraft hits terrain directly, the simulation pauses and offers a restart at a safe playable altitude and coordinates. Choose the restart option instead of repeatedly pressing flight keys while the paused state is active.
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Low-altitude flashing or clipping
Google warns that terrain can flash or clip at low altitude in areas below sea level. Climb to a higher altitude and continue from there; the artifact is a rendering limitation in those conditions, not evidence that the aircraft controls have changed.
Loading delays at high speed
At extreme speeds, or on a low-bandwidth connection, imagery and terrain may take time to load. Reduce the rate of acceleration, hold a stable attitude and allow the scene to catch up before making another sharp turn. A temporary blank or delayed view does not necessarily mean the simulator has stopped responding.
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Press Spacebar to pause the desktop simulation, then recenter the mouse before resuming. If the aircraft is still unsuitable for your setup, exit with the platform shortcut, choose a different aircraft or starting point, and re-enter. Small corrections are more controllable than sustained, large mouse movements.
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Common questions about the shortcuts
Why does Page Up not behave the same in both versions?
It increases thrust in both documented experiences, but the surrounding control model differs. Desktop Google Earth uses the mouse for primary attitude control and arrows for corrections; the web simulator assigns Up/Down to pitch and Left/Right to roll.
Can I use a joystick?
Desktop Google Earth documents optional joystick support. Enable that setting before entering the simulator. The official web instructions describe keyboard, mouse toggling and an on-screen thrust control, but do not establish universal joystick or gamepad support.
Which aircraft should a new pilot select?
Google’s desktop help recommends the SR22 for beginners and the F-16 for skilled pilots. That is guidance from Google’s interface documentation, not a performance ranking or formal training assessment.
Why are my normal Google Earth map shortcuts unavailable while flying?
The web simulator deactivates map shortcut keys during flight to prevent conflicts with the aircraft controls. Exit the simulator when you need those navigation commands again.
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