Apple Maps does not have Street View, and Apple has not announced plans to add it

Apple Maps shows satellite imagery, 3D building models, and detailed road maps, but it does not offer the ground-level photo coverage that Google Street View provides. You cannot click on a location in Apple Maps and see what the street actually looks like from a pedestrian's perspective. If you need that view before visiting a place, you will need to switch to Google Maps or another service that offers it.

Apple has invested heavily in mapping technology — including acquiring companies that build 3D models and satellite data — but Street View specifically has never appeared on their roadmap. The company tends to build features that integrate tightly with its own hardware and services rather than copying competitors' tools directly. That said, technology changes, and what Apple offers five years from now may differ from what exists today.

Key Takeaways

  • Apple Maps lacks Street View, the ground-level photo feature that lets you see what a street looks like before you visit.
  • Google Maps remains the primary source for Street View coverage in most countries and cities.
  • Apple Maps does offer 3D building views and detailed satellite imagery in some cities, which can give you a sense of an area without ground-level photos.
  • If you need Street View for trip planning or location scouting, opening Google Maps alongside Apple Maps is the fastest option.

What Apple Maps shows instead of Street View

Apple Maps compensates for the lack of Street View with other visual tools. The 3D view feature, available in major cities like New York, London, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, shows buildings and terrain from an angled perspective. You can rotate and tilt the map to see how tall buildings are and how streets connect. This gives you a sense of a neighborhood's layout and density without the street-level detail that Street View provides.

The app also offers satellite imagery with good resolution in most areas, letting you see parking lots, building entrances, and street patterns from above. In some cities, Apple has added Look Around, which is Apple's version of Street View — but it is available in only a handful of locations: parts of California, Nevada, Hawaii, and Japan. If you live outside those areas, Look Around will not help you.

For most users outside those limited regions, switching to Google Maps is the practical choice when you need to see what a street actually looks like. Google Street View covers far more territory and updates more frequently than Apple's Look Around.

Why Apple has not built Street View at scale

Building Street View requires sending vehicles or people with cameras through millions of miles of streets, then processing and hosting billions of images. Google spent years and billions of dollars building this network, and they continue to update it. Apple, by contrast, has chosen to focus its mapping efforts on features that work across its ecosystem — turn-by-turn navigation, real-time traffic, integration with Siri, and 3D models that render on your device.

Apple's Look Around feature exists but only in limited areas. The company has not expanded it widely, suggesting that the cost and effort of maintaining Street View-scale coverage does not align with Apple's priorities. Instead, Apple seems to view maps as a utility that should work well for navigation and location discovery, rather than as a destination app where you spend time browsing streets.

How to access Street View when you need it

The simplest approach is to open Google Maps on the same device. Search for your location, then tap the Street View icon (a small person figure) that appears near the address. You can then swipe to move along the street and see what the area looks like. This works on iPhone, iPad, Android, and desktop browsers.

If you prefer to stay in Apple Maps, you can use the 3D view and satellite imagery to get a general sense of the area, then switch to Google Maps only when you need ground-level detail. Many people keep both apps installed for exactly this reason — Apple Maps for navigation and quick lookups, Google Maps for deeper exploration.

What might change in the future

Apple's mapping strategy has shifted several times over the years. The company built its own mapping data from scratch after dropping Google Maps as the default in iOS 6, which was widely criticized. Since then, Apple has steadily improved the service by acquiring mapping companies and investing in 3D technology. Whether Street View becomes part of that expansion depends on Apple's business priorities, not on technical capability.

If Apple decides that Street View is worth the investment, the company has the resources to build it. But there is no indication that this is on the horizon. For now, Street View remains a Google Maps feature, and if you need it, that is where you will find it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Apple Maps have anything like Street View?

Apple Maps has Look Around, which is similar to Street View, but only in parts of California, Nevada, Hawaii, and Japan. In most of the world, Apple Maps does not offer ground-level street photos. You will need Google Maps for that coverage.

Can I use Look Around on my iPhone?

Yes, if you live in one of the supported areas. Open Apple Maps, search for a location, and look for the Look Around icon (a binoculars symbol) near the address. If it appears, tap it to see the street-level view. If the icon does not appear, Look Around is not available for that location.

Is Google Street View better than Apple Look Around?

Google Street View covers far more of the world and updates more frequently. Apple Look Around offers higher image quality and smoother navigation in the areas where it exists, but those areas are very limited. For most people, Google Street View is the only practical option.

What should I do if I need Street View but use Apple Maps?

Open Google Maps in a separate tab or window and search for the same location. The Street View icon will appear if coverage exists for that area. You can then switch back to Apple Maps for navigation once you have seen what the street looks like.