Zoom in close enough for the “Imagery date” to appear in the bottom toolbar. Once you see the World view, zoom in on anywhere or type a location in the search bar. First, head over to Google Earth and wait for it to load. Using Google Earth, you’re able to determine approximately when the current satellite image was taken. Determining When a Google Maps “Satellite Image” Was Taken However, you can utilize a few different methods to figure out when a certain location was last updated. Ultimately, you’re unable to fully predict when a certain Satellite View will change. Conversely, rural locations may only see an update once every 1-3+ years. For example, big cities like Philadelphia, Seattle, Tampa or Boston will have updates that occur weekly. According to the Google Maps blog, the answer depends on where you live.

Updates to Google Maps satellite images happen more frequently in highly populated areas. There may be a delay of months, or often times, years before the satellite images reflect exactly what the location looks like in reality. However, you won’t usually see live changes or updates reflect on a regular basis.

Typically, Google’s satellite image database updates constantly – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. How Often Does Google Maps Update Satellite Images? Regardless if you’re using Google Earth or Google Maps, they pull their data from the same sources. In fact, you may often notice outdated views or location details that are not quite accurate. However, you may be wondering how often these Satellite images update. If you’re using Google Maps in Satellite View, you’re given a close-up, bird’s eye view of virtually every location on planet Earth. Google Maps has transformed the way we see our world.

Map satellite street view