How To Enter Street View On Google Maps | Pegman & Thumbnail

To enter Street View on Google Maps, search a location and tap the Street View photo thumbnail, or drag Pegman to a blue line on a computer.

A blue line on the map is your ticket into Street View, but most people scroll past them hunting for a menu instead. The steps for how to enter Street View on Google Maps take about five seconds once you know the two entry methods: the photo thumbnail on any device and the Pegman icon on a computer. Street View is a built-in, free feature of Google Maps — no subscription or extra app required, and it works anywhere the blue coverage lines appear.

The exact steps differ slightly between a computer, an Android phone, and an iPhone, but the core idea is identical everywhere: find a location that has Street View imagery, then tap or drag the right icon to drop yourself onto the street.

How Do You Enter Street View On A Computer?

On a desktop or laptop, you have two ways to enter Street View, and both start from the Google Maps website. The Pegman method is the one most people recognize, but the photo thumbnail is faster for locations you have already searched.

Using The Pegman Icon

Open Google Maps in your browser and search for a city, address, or landmark. Look at the bottom-right corner of the screen for Pegman — the small orange person icon. Click and hold Pegman, then drag him onto a blue line, blue dot, or orange dot on the map. Blue lines and dots mark roads with Street View coverage; orange dots mark user-contributed 360° imagery. As soon as you drop Pegman onto a highlighted area, the map flips into Street View. To return to the regular map, click Back at the top-left corner.

Using The Photo Thumbnail

Search for a specific place — a restaurant, park, or address — and click its marker on the map. A small info panel appears at the bottom. Look for a photo thumbnail that carries the Street View icon (a small 360° circle) in its corner. Click that thumbnail to enter Street View immediately. This method works especially well for businesses and landmarks because the photo is already linked to that location. Click Close at the top-right of the Street View window to exit.

If you have a route open in Directions, hover your mouse over any step in the direction list. A small Street View preview photo appears for that turn or segment. Click the photo to open it, then use Previous step and Next step to follow the whole route at street level.

Enter Street View On Android

The Google Maps app for Android offers the same photo-thumbnail method plus a dedicated Street View layer. Both are official, and both take about two taps.

Using The Photo Thumbnail

Open the Google Maps app and search for a location or drop a pin by long-pressing on the map. Tap the location name or the pin to open the info card. Look for the photo thumbnail that has a Street View icon in its corner and tap it. The screen switches into Street View. Tap the Back arrow when you want to return to the regular map.

Using The Street View Layer

Tap the Layers button (the stacked diamonds icon) at the top-right of the map. In the menu that opens, select Street View. The map now shows blue lines wherever Street View coverage exists. Tap any blue line to jump into Street View at that spot. This method is useful for exploring an area before you decide on a destination. Tap Back to leave Street View.

Enter Street View On iPhone And iPad

The Google Maps app for iOS works nearly identically to the Android version. Search for any location or drop a pin, then tap the Street View photo thumbnail on the info card. You can also tap Layers at the top of the screen, choose Street View, and tap any blue line on the map. The swipe and zoom controls are the same as on Android. Tap the Back arrow to exit.

Street View Entry Methods Quick Reference

Navigating Street View Once You Are Inside

After you enter Street View, the controls are intuitive on every platform. On a computer, point your cursor in any direction and it becomes an arrow — click to move that way. A small X marker on the ground shows where you can step next; click it once to travel there. Drag your mouse to look around, scroll to zoom, and click the compass to reorient the view to north. The arrow keys near the compass also let you jump left or right.

On a phone or tablet, swipe to look around, tap the on-screen arrows to move, and pinch open or closed to zoom. Turning the device sideways switches to landscape mode for a wider field of view. The full official breakdown of these controls lives in Google’s Street View help page, which also covers keyboard shortcuts and accessibility options.

Common Entry Mistakes And What To Do

The most frequent problem people hit is dropping Pegman on a spot that has no Street View coverage — the map simply stays zoomed in without switching view. Street View imagery exists for most major roads in over 110 countries, but not every alley, trail, or rural lane is covered. If no blue lines, blue dots, or orange dots appear, that location is not in the Street View database yet. Try zooming out and looking for a nearby road that is highlighted, then drop Pegman there instead.

The second most common mistake is hunting for a menu entry instead of using the photo thumbnail. On mobile, many users long-press a pin and then scroll through options, overlooking the Street View icon right on the info card. The thumbnail sits at the top of the card, and Google marks it with a small 360° circle — one tap is all it takes.

Quick Troubleshooting: Street View Issues

Getting Street View On Every Device

Street View is included free in every copy of Google Maps, whether on a computer, Android phone, iPhone, or iPad. The two entry methods — tap the photo thumbnail on any device, or drag Pegman to a blue line on a desktop — cover every situation. For route planning, open Directions and click any step’s Street View preview to see each turn from street level. If no blue lines or thumbnails appear when you search, the location simply is not covered yet, but checking the “See more dates” link can reveal historical imagery that may fill the gap. Turn by turn, Street View turns a flat map into the actual street.