Google Earth Keyboard Shortcuts

SHORTCUT	ACTION
Main
Alt + F	File Menu - Opens the File menu. You can use the down and up arrows to select items once the menu is open.
Alt + E	Edit Menu - Opens the Edit menu. You can use the down and up arrows to select items once the menu is open.
Alt + V	View Menu - Opens the View menu. You can use the down and up arrows to select items once the menu is open.
Alt + H	Help Menu - Opens the Help menu. You can use the down and up arrows to select items once the menu is open.
Ctrl + O	Open File - Produces the file open dialog, allowing you to open all supported Google Earth file types.
Ctrl + S	Save Image - Saves the current view as an image to your computer.
Ctrl + P	Print - Produces the print dialog, allowing you to print the current view.
Ctrl + E	Email View - E-mails the current view either as a placemark or image file.
Ctrl + C	Copy - Copies the current selection in the Places listing.
Ctrl + X	Cut - Cuts a placemark or other item from the listing in the Places pane. Cuts an icon from the 3D viewer. Both icon or listing item must first be selected. You can use this feature to organize your places data.
Ctrl + V	Paste - Pastes a placemark or other item into the selected folder in the Places pane. You can use this feature to organize your places data.
Del key	Delete - Deletes an item selected in the Places pane.
F2	Rename - Enters edit mode for a selected item in the Places pane, so you can change the name without bringing up the Edit Placemark dialog.
Enter	Zoom to selected placemark/item - Zooms into a selected folder, placemark, or other item in the Places pane.
F11	Full screen mode - Toggles between full screen and window view for the Google Earth application.
Ctrl + L	Lat/Lon grid - Produces a latitude and longitude grid over the surface of the earth in the 3D viewer.
F10	Play Tour - Plays the tour mode for all selected items in the Places pane.
Ctrl + N	New placemark - Adds a new placemark to the current view.
Ctrl + Shft + N	New folder - Produces the New Folder dialog box.
Ctrl + Shft + O	New image overlay - Produces the New Image Overlay dialog box.
Ctrl + Shft + T	New path - Produces the New Path dialog box.
Ctrl + Shft + P	New polygon - Produces the New Polygon dialog box.
Ctrl + G	Change navigation mode to G-Force - Switches navigation in the 3D viewer to G-Force mode. This can also be done by selecting the G-Force option from Tools - Options - Navigation.
Ctrl + T	Change navigation mode to Trackball - Switches navigation in the 3D viewer to Trackball mode. This can also be done by selecting the Trackball option from Tools - Options - Navigation.
3D Viewer
Left arrow	Move Left - Moves the viewer in the direction of the arrow.
Right arrow	Move Right - Moves the viewer in the direction of the arrow.
Up arrow	Move Up - Moves the viewer in the direction of the arrow.
Down arrow	Move Down - Moves the viewer in the direction of the arrow.
Shft+Right arrow, Ctrl + scroll DOWN	Rotate Clockwise - Rotates the view clockwise. The earth spins counter-clockwise.
Shft+Left arrow, Ctrl + scroll UP	Rotate Counter-clockwise - Rotates the view counter-clockwise.
Shft + Up arrow, PgUp key, Shft + scroll wheel	Tilt Up - Tilts the viewer toward "top-down" view. Tip: to use the Page Up key, make sure Num Lock on your keyboard is off.
Shft+Down arrow, PgDn key, Shft + scroll wheel	Tilt Down - Tilts the viewer toward "horizon" view. Tip: to use the Page Up key, make sure Num Lock on your keyboard is off.
Ctrl + Up Arrow, scroll wheel	Zoom in - Zooms the viewer in. If your mouse has a scroll wheel in the middle, pull it toward you to zoom in.
Ctrl + Down Arrow, scroll wheel, - key (both keyboard and numpad)	Zoom out - Zooms the viewer out. If your mouse has a scroll wheel in the middle, push it away from you to zoom out.
Spacebar	Stop Current Motion - When the viewer is in motion, stops movement
n	Reset view to north - up - Rotates view so that view is north-up.
u	Reset tilt to top-down view - Resets angle to view scene in top-down or up mode.
Tour Mode
p	Start, Play, Pause - Plays the tour or restarts tour after pausing. The 3D viewer must be in focus in order for this key to work. (Click in the 3D viewer to set focus if you are unsure.)
F10	Start - Starts the tour from the beginning. This key only works if the Places pane is in focus and if a folder is selected that has touring points selected.
s, spacebar	Stop - Stops tour and motion.
n	Reset view to north-up - Stops tour, and rotates view so that view is north-up.
u	Reset tilt to top-down view - Stops tour, resets angle to view scene in top-down or up mode.
r	Reset tilt and compass view to default - Resets angle to view top-down and rotates to north-up view. Use this feature to orient the earth in the center of the viewer.
Side Panel Controls
Spacebar	Select - Toggles the check mark of the highlighted item on or off, showing or hiding display of the item in the 3D viewer.
Down arrow	Next - Selects the next item in the list (either folder or placemark).
Up arrow	Previous - Selects the previous item in the list (either folder or placemark).
Right arrow	Open Folder - If the item selected is a folder, opens the folder to display contents.
Left arrow	Close Folder - If the item selected is a folder, closes it to hide contents from the list view.
Delete Key	Delete - Works only for items in Places pane. Deletes item after confirmation dialog is accepted.
Scroll wheel	Change overlay opacity - Changes the transparency for an overlay selected in the Places pane when the mouse pointer is positioned on the overlay opacity slider. Scroll UP to make the overlay image more opaque, scroll DOWN to make the overlay more transparent.