# Measuring distance in Google Earth **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 16, 2016, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measuring-distance-in-google-earth/752412 "2016-04-16T22:29:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measuring-distance-in-google-earth/752412/1 "2016-04-16T22:29:11Z")
I have push-pins at two locations in Google Earth version 7.1.5.1557 that I downloaded and installed on my MacBook Pro today. I’m told you can measure distances with Google Earth. I click on the little Ruler icon and I get a pop-up window that says ‘Measure the distance between two points on the ground.’ I can change Map Length units and check or uncheck Mouse Navigation, but Save and Clear are greyed out and there are no other controls to measure a distance. So how to you measure the distance between two points? ---
**Author:** ![heartsplayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d9b06d/32.png) [@heartsplayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heartsplayer)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measuring-distance-in-google-earth/752412/2 "2016-04-16T22:33:09Z")
I didn’t even know that Google Earth still existed. I use Google Maps instead. Though Google Maps doesn’t give distances as the crow flies. As for your question, I don’t really have an answer… ☹ :o ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measuring-distance-in-google-earth/752412/3 "2016-04-16T22:35:35Z")
> [@heartsplayer](#): > > As for your question, I don’t really have an answer… ☹ :o OK, I seem to have found it. You don’t actually do anything in the box. It just takes up screen space and gives you a number after you’ve figured out how to find the distance. I single-clicked on one push-pin and then single-clicked on the other one, and the distance appeared in the box. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measuring-distance-in-google-earth/752412/4 "2016-04-16T22:47:23Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > OK, I seem to have found it. You don’t actually do anything in the box. It just takes up screen space and gives you a number after you’ve figured out how to find the distance. I single-clicked on one push-pin and then single-clicked on the other one, and the distance appeared in the box. Correct. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measuring-distance-in-google-earth/752412/5 "2016-04-17T00:05:36Z")
It won’t solve your problem while using Google Earth, but if you can copy the coordinates to Maps, [there is a “as the crow flies” calculator](https://www.freemaptools.com/how-far-is-it-between.htm). > [@heartsplayer](#): > > I didn’t even know that Google Earth still existed. I use Google Maps instead. I prefer MapQuest ([that’s a good one too](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-4Ul81Cpao)). ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measuring-distance-in-google-earth/752412/6 "2016-04-17T03:37:53Z")
> [@heartsplayer](#): > > Though Google Maps doesn’t give distances as the crow flies. It does, actually. Right-click on a spot and select “Measure distance”. Right-click on another spot and select “Distance to here”, and you get a ‘straight-line’ measurement. ---
**Author:** ![Satellite\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Satellite\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satellite_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measuring-distance-in-google-earth/752412/7 "2016-04-17T13:21:12Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > It does, actually. > > Right-click on a spot and select “Measure distance”. Right-click on another spot and select “Distance to here”, and you get a ‘straight-line’ measurement. I’ve used this method to try and ballpark acreage of known properties. I know the edge of the (hypothetical) field is the property boundary to the east. The road is the north boundary. The creek to the south is straight enough to fudge. The west flanks the neighbor’s fence. Measure each, and math it. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/measuring-distance-in-google-earth/752412/8 "2016-04-17T15:33:29Z")
> [@Satellite\_Guy](#): > > I’ve used this method to try and ballpark acreage of known properties. > > I know the edge of the (hypothetical) field is the property boundary to the east. The road is the north boundary. The creek to the south is straight enough to fudge. The west flanks the neighbor’s fence. > > Measure each, and math it. The (now free) Google Earth Pro lets you draw polygons and gives you the area, too. Also about the “as the crow flies” measurements, I’m not sure about Maps, but Earth gives you both the “as the crow flies” distance through the air and the ground distance, taking into account elevation changes across hills and mountains. May or may not be important depending on what you’re doing.