Google Earth Freezes When Loading

Symptom

When you open the Google Earth application, it freezes at the loading screen with the message "loading myplaces.kml files".

Solution

Follow these steps to resolve your application startup issues:

1. Uninstall and Reinstall Google Earth and check if it opens now?

   If this does not correct the issue proceed to the next step

2. Close Google Earth

3. Go to the folder C:\Users\%username%\AppData\LocalLow\Google\GoogleEarth:

   • (%username% corresponds to your computer username)

4. Locate the following ".kml" files:

   • myplaces.backup.kml

   • myplaces.kml.tmp

   • myplaces.kml

Note: If you can’t see any of these files then turn on the "show hidden files" option under the View menu in the file explorer.

5. Right-Click on myplaces.kml

6. Click Rename

7. Rename the file to old.myplaces.kml

8. Repeat the rename steps on the other .kml files

9. Close and re-open Google Earth