Google Maps is great at telling you where you are horizontally, but it gets weirdly shy when you want to know how high up you are. You’re standing on a mountain peak or maybe just curious about your backyard's elevation, and you open the app expecting a clear "1,200 feet" somewhere on the screen. It isn’t there. Honestly, it’s kinda frustrating. Most people assume the data just isn't there, but it is—it’s just buried under layers of UI that Google hasn't updated in years.
Finding your altitude in Google Maps isn't a one-tap process anymore. Back in the day, the Android version had a more direct readout, but as the app became more "streamlined" (which is often code for "hiding features we don't think you need"), that data moved. You have to know exactly where to look, or you have to switch views entirely. If you're looking for a precise GPS-based altitude reading for something like aviation or serious mountaineering, Google Maps actually isn't the best tool anyway because it relies heavily on Digital Elevation Models (DEM) rather than real-time barometric pressure from your phone’s sensor.
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The basic trick to see elevation on your phone
If you just want to know how high a hill is, your best bet is the Terrain layer. Open Google Maps on your iPhone or Android. See that square icon that looks like two layers stacked on top of each other? Tap that. It’s the Map Type menu. Select Terrain.
Once you’re in Terrain mode, you have to zoom in. A lot. This is where people usually give up. The contour lines—those thin grey squiggles that represent height—only appear at specific zoom levels. If you’re zoomed out looking at a whole state, you won't see a thing. Zoom in until you start seeing numbers printed directly on those lines. Those are your elevation markers.
Keep in mind these lines show the height of the ground, not necessarily the height of the building you're standing in. If you’re on the 40th floor of a skyscraper in Chicago, the terrain layer will still tell you the elevation of the sidewalk. It’s a topographical map, not a personal altimeter. It’s also worth noting that these lines are usually spaced out by 10, 20, or 100-foot intervals depending on how steep the area is. If you're in a flat part of Kansas, you might be zooming for a while before you find a single number.
Using the desktop version for more detail
The desktop experience is slightly more robust but equally finicky. When you head to Google Maps on a laptop, you follow the same steps: Menu > Terrain. But here’s the kicker: you need to make sure "3D" is toggled off in some instances to see the cleanest contour lines, though usually, the 3D toggle in the bottom right helps you visualize the scale better.
If you’re looking for the altitude of a specific point on a map and the contour lines are too blurry or missing, there’s a "right-click" trick. Sorta. If you right-click anywhere on the map and select "What's here?", a small box pops up at the bottom. Sometimes—and I mean sometimes—it will provide more geographic context, but Google has been phasing out direct elevation readouts in that specific pop-up in favor of Google Earth integration.
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Why Google Earth is actually the answer
If you’re serious about finding altitude in Google Maps, you eventually realize you’re using the wrong app. Google Earth is the "pro" version of the same data set. It’s free. It uses the same satellite imagery. But unlike Maps, it actually treats elevation as a primary data point.
When you open Google Earth (the app or the web version), look at the bottom right corner. As you move your mouse or your finger across the map, you’ll see a number changing in real-time. It’ll say something like "Elevation: 452 ft." This is infinitely more useful than squinting at grey lines on a map. It gives you the exact elevation of the cursor’s position.
Why the split? Google treats Maps as a navigation and business discovery tool. They want you to find the nearest Starbucks or navigate a highway. Elevation is "clutter" to their designers. Google Earth is the geographic tool. If you’re planning a hike or checking if your house is in a flood zone, just download Earth. It saves you the headache.
The hardware reality: GPS vs. Barometers
We should talk about why your phone might give you different numbers than a map. Most modern smartphones, like the iPhone 15 or the latest Pixel, have a built-in barometer. This measures atmospheric pressure to calculate your altitude. It’s remarkably accurate for measuring change in altitude—like when you’re walking up a flight of stairs—but it needs to be calibrated to a known sea-level pressure to give you an absolute number.
Google Maps doesn't really use your phone's barometer. It looks at your GPS coordinates (Latitude and Longitude) and then cross-references that with a massive database of the earth's surface. This is usually the SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) data or similar LIDAR datasets.
There's a catch: This data is "ground level." If you’re on a bridge, Google Maps might think you’re at the elevation of the river below. If you're in a tunnel, it’ll think you’re on top of the mountain. This is a common point of confusion for people trying to use Google Maps for drone piloting or technical work. You aren't getting a live reading of your device's position in 3D space; you're getting a database's best guess of what the dirt looks like at your location.
Third-party alternatives that pull Google data
Because Google makes it so annoying to find altitude in Google Maps, a whole cottage industry of "Altimeter" apps exists. Most of these apps actually just use the Google Maps API to pull the elevation data and display it in a big, readable font.
- My Elevation (Android): This is a favorite because it uses both your GPS and the USGS (United States Geological Survey) data to double-check your height.
- Altimeter Ler (iOS): Good for hikers. It overlays your altitude on top of a Google Map interface, basically giving you the feature Google refused to build in.
If you're out in the wilderness with no cell service, none of the "online" maps will work for altitude unless you've downloaded the specific topo maps for offline use. In those cases, you're relying purely on your phone’s GPS chip. GPS altitude is notoriously "noisy." It can be off by 50 to 100 feet depending on how many satellites your phone can see. If you’re in a deep canyon, forget about it.
When accuracy actually matters
Don't use Google Maps to calibrate anything life-saving. If you're an amateur pilot or a high-altitude hiker worried about pulmonary edema, you need a dedicated GPS unit like a Garmin or a watch with a calibrated barometric altimeter. Google’s data is "recreational grade." It’s great for knowing if your bike ride will be uphill, but it’s not survey-grade.
The USGS actually provides a tool called the National Map which is the "source of truth" for US elevation. It’s way clunkier than Google, but if you need to know the official elevation of a plot of land for a permit or a study, that’s where you go. Google is just the pretty interface wrapped around that (sometimes) older data.
Practical steps to take right now
If you need to know your altitude immediately, don't waste time digging through Google Maps menus. Use these specific steps based on your goal:
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For a quick estimate on your current spot:
Use a web-based tool like "What is my Elevation?" which pulls your browser's location and queries the Google Elevation API instantly. It’s faster than toggling terrain layers.
For planning a hiking route:
Use the desktop version of Google Maps. Use the "Directions" tool and select the Cycling or Walking icon. Google will automatically generate an elevation profile showing you the total ascent and descent. This is the only place in Maps where you get a nice graph of the height changes.
For precise coordinates and height:
Switch to Google Earth. It’s the only way to get a "point-and-see" elevation reading without interpreting contour lines.
Check your phone's health app:
On iPhone, the "Health" app tracks "Flights Climbed." It uses the barometer. While it won't show you "altitude above sea level" directly in the main view, many compass apps that come pre-installed on your phone (like the iOS Compass) show your exact elevation and GPS coordinates at the bottom of the screen. It’s often more accurate than the Map app anyway because it’s pulling directly from the hardware sensors.