Overview
- Google announced in July 2026 that new downloads of the Google Earth Pro desktop app will stop on June 25, 2027 while existing installations will continue to work.
- Google says users should move projects to Google Earth on web and mobile and has published step-by-step guidance for importing KML, KMZ and “My Places” files.
- Professionals and researchers warn the web app lacks parity for many workflows, citing a reported 250,000-vertex limit, a cluttered interface, loss of easy offline use and limited access to historical 3D imagery.
- Practitioners in fields such as surveying, utilities, archaeology and field research say the change could force costly rework of mapping pipelines, data management and field operations.
- The decision follows Google’s pattern of retiring legacy desktop tools, and users face a clear near-term choice to download the desktop installer before June 25, 2027 or prepare migration plans given added platform risks for Intel-based macOS builds.