By default Google Maps in satellite view shows trees and objects in a fake 3D view that distorts images and hides things that would otherwise be easy to see. To switch back to the flat 2D view use these links.
- Google Maps 2D: https://www.google.com/maps/?force=canvas
- Google Maps Lite: https://www.google.com/maps/?force=lite
To return to 3D use this link:
- Google Maps 3D: https://www.google.com/maps/?force=webgl
3D looks like this:
2D/flat looks like this:
3 replies on “How to Force Google Maps to 2D Satellite View”
Thanks! Those idiotic fake frees (especially bad in the leafy eastern US) and that totally unnatural green were aggravating, Google has now set things so that selecting “3D off” eliminates satellite view altogether. I sometimes use Google Maps images in reports and the fake trees made the imaged unusable.
Thank you! I find so often in my area that the images used for the 3D version are MUCH older (by necessity, I suppose) than the flat images. I want images that are closer to what’s on the ground NOW, not fancy 3D renderings that are out of date.
The most important reason for 2D is SPEED. Those fake 3D images are useless most of the time.
Why doesn’t Google document this feature better?