People Are Finding Their Childhood Memories on Google Street View (and You Can Too)
TikTok trends can often be misleading , dangerous , or just plain pointless , but sometimes they’re actually useful or at least funny. The new TikTok trend of people viewing their old homes on Google Street View is more of the latter. Seeing how your favorite places have changed over the years is a nostalgic pleasure, and while you may have been doing this for a while, it’s nice to see more people discovering it (just be careful when posting your home address on the Internet).
At the heart of it all is a lesser-known feature that lets you view photos from the past. You can think of it as an Internet Archive , but for locations. While some people may want to revisit neighborhoods of their childhood that have since been demolished, others may use this feature to see how their neighborhood changes through different seasons, or to see how important landmarks have changed over time. time.
How to View Past Photos in Google Street View
Google Street View has been letting you “go back in time” since 2014 , but as the feature gains popularity again, it’s worth revisiting. This feature works best on a desktop browser, although you can also access it in the Google Maps mobile app.
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Open Google Maps and search for any address that works with Street View.
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Click (or tap) the Street View icon at the bottom of the page (it should be a small thumbnail showing the current Street View photo).
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On your desktop, in the top left corner of the Street View page, you will see a widget showing your current address and date. Click the “Show more dates” link. If you’re using a mobile device, open Street View in full screen and tap the image to find the View more dates link.
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A panel will open at the bottom of the page. Scroll through the available dates and select a photo to view it.
For some locations, images are available as far back as the late 2000s, which really allows you to see how they have developed. I used this feature to watch the changing seasons on the Golden Gate Bridge , where on some days the landmark disappears into the clouds. I also had fun exploring the World Cup stadium in Brazil and even Apple Park . Who needs a TARDIS when you have a smartphone?