How to find elevation on Google Earth

Google Earth Pro, the free desktop program, shows the elevation under your cursor and can graph elevation along any path you draw.

Updated 2026-10-26 · By Ankit Kumar

Only need the elevation where you are standing? Find your current elevation from your device location, no download needed.

Read the elevation of one point

Install and open Google Earth Pro on your computer.
Search for the place in the box at the top left.
Hold the cursor over the spot. The status bar at the bottom of the map shows its coordinates and elev, the ground elevation.

Draw an elevation profile along a path

Click Add Path in the toolbar above the map, then click points on the map to trace your route.
Give the path a name if you like and click OK.

Google Earth Pro with the Add Path tool selected and a route drawn on a mountainside — Add Path is in the toolbar; trace the route, then click OK.

Select the path in the Places panel, open the Edit menu and choose Show Elevation Profile.

Edit → Show Elevation Profile.

A graph opens under the map. Move along it to read the elevation at any point; the summary shows the range, gain and loss.

The elevation profile for the drawn path.

Google Earth on the web

The browser version of Google Earth did not offer the elevation profile when these screenshots were made, which is why this guide uses Google Earth Pro.

Other ways to get elevation

Elevation by address: type a US address, get the USGS value.
Elevation from latitude and longitude: paste coordinates, or up to 100 points at once.
Google Maps Terrain view: contour lines in hilly areas.

Screenshots taken in 2023; menus can change between Google Earth Pro versions.

Frequently asked questions

Does Google Earth show elevation?

Yes. Google Earth Pro on a computer shows the ground elevation under your cursor ("elev") in the status bar at the bottom of the map, and can draw an elevation profile along a path.

Can I see my current elevation in Google Earth?

Google Earth does not locate you. Search for your address or move to your spot, then read the "elev" value under the cursor. Our homepage tool does this in one step from your device location.

Is Google Earth elevation accurate?

Google does not publish one accuracy figure for its terrain. For US points, the USGS 3D Elevation Program reports an overall vertical accuracy of about 0.53 m (1.7 ft), which is what our tools use.