Quick summary
This tutorial shows how to download Google Earth imagery in QGIS by connecting to Google Satellite via XYZ Tiles and exporting the map as an image file. It is a free workaround that lets GIS users capture high-resolution satellite imagery directly within QGIS without needing a Google Earth Pro export.
Steps
- Go to the left-side Browser panel and scroll down to XYZ Tiles.
- Click XYZ Tiles and select Google Satellite as a replacement for Google Earth imagery.
- Drag the connection onto the map layout to load the satellite layer.
- Go to Project in the top menu, select Import/Export, then choose Export Map to Image.
- Modify the export settings if needed, then click Save.
- Input the file title, then click Save to confirm the export.
- Open the file at the save location to verify the exported imagery.