# Google Maps: How do I see Street View streets without entering street view?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-how-do-i-see-street-view-streets-without-entering-street-view/499015>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 7, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-how-do-i-see-street-view-streets-without-entering-street-view/499015 "2009-06-07T16:08:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![happywaffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ee59a6/32.png) [@happywaffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happywaffle)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-how-do-i-see-street-view-streets-without-entering-street-view/499015/1 "2009-06-07T16:08:51Z")

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When Street View first came out, it was a button you could click, which lit up all the street-viewed streets in blue. Then I could drag the little man to my heart’s content.

Now, the street-viewed streets only light up while I’m dragging the guy. This leaves me in the weird situation of having to drop him _somewhere_. I usually just plop him back on his little starting place, but this seems like weird usability, no? I’d much rather scroll and zoom around the blue streets, find a spot that looks interesting, _then_ drag the wee guy into position.

Am I missing some obvious double-click-type of trick here? Or is this a problem for anyone else?

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**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-how-do-i-see-street-view-streets-without-entering-street-view/499015/2 "2009-06-07T18:25:13Z")

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Coincidentally Google Maps have just introduced a new feature. Go to their link below and you’ll see a link there marked New! Navigate faster in Street View.

Clicking that link takes you to an example map with all the View streets highlighted. Presumably they’re in the process of rolling the innovation out but I haven’t checked.

[Link](http://maps.google.com/help/maps/streetview/)

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**Author:** ![happywaffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ee59a6/32.png) [@happywaffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happywaffle)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-how-do-i-see-street-view-streets-without-entering-street-view/499015/3 "2009-06-08T01:41:31Z")

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Thanks for the link, that’s handy - but not quite as comprehensive as just showing me the blue lines. Maybe I’m the only person who just likes to peruse random areas to see what Street View has covered.

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**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-how-do-i-see-street-view-streets-without-entering-street-view/499015/4 "2009-06-08T01:58:22Z")

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For me, my version of Google Earth lets me just zoom down into a neighborhood, and if I have street view checked, little camera icons show up if there are street views in that area. Yours sounds like it works differently.

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**Author:** ![happywaffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ee59a6/32.png) [@happywaffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happywaffle)\
**Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-maps-how-do-i-see-street-view-streets-without-entering-street-view/499015/5 "2009-06-08T02:11:31Z")

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Google Maps ([maps.google.com](http://maps.google.com)), not Google Earth.

Though I suppose using Google Earth is a workaround.