360 Camera Software and Platforms 360 Camera Techniques Virtual Tour Software

How to create Google Maps Virtual Tours (not just 360 photos) automatically

How to create a Google Maps Virtual Tour easily

Everyone knows that you can share 360 photos on Google Maps’ Street View. But how would you like to be able to post a virtual tour to Google Maps? Cupix is a software will do it for you automatically. But it won’t teach you how to fight off the hugs and kisses that your clients will inevitably try to give you.

Google Maps Street View Virtual Tours

Google Street View is one of the most popular platforms for sharing 360 photos, particularly of businesses and places. But in addition to 360 photos, Google Street View can also include virtual tours. Here is a sample virtual tour of Disneyland:

Unlike a typical 360 photo on Street View, you’ll notice that the cursor becomes an arrow, letting you know that you can move to that direction within the photo.

By allowing viewers to ‘move around,’ the virtual tour gives viewers an even more immersive view,

Google street view virtual tour arrow indicator
Google street view virtual tour arrow indicator

Creating a Google Maps Street View Virtual Tour manually

Some of the steps required for Google Street View Virtual Tour
Some of the steps required for Google Street View Virtual Tour

Before we discuss Cupix, I wanted to show you first how to create a virtual tour the conventional way on Street View. Besides uploading the 360 photos, you need to connect them. If they have GPS data, they can be automatically connected. Otherwise, you’ll need to connect them manually. Here’s how to connect them manually:
1. On the Street View app, go to the Profile tab.
2. Select the photos you want to connect and tap on the upper right corner and select “Move and connect photos.”
3. On the next screen, you’ll see all the photos on a map. You’ll then have to position each node in the correct location vis-a-vis each other.
4. Tap on a line between photos to connect them.
5. For each photo, you must also reorient the photo by sliding the equirectangular view left or right.
6. For each photo, you must also place the correct compass orientation by sliding the compass indicator left or right.

For a tour with only a few nodes, it’s not too bad. But for a tour with many nodes, it is quickly becomes very tedious.

CUPIX: Create Street View Virtual Tours automatically

The good news is that there’s now a shortcut for creating Street View Virtual Tours automatically – with Cupix, a web-based virtual tour software. I’ve covered Cupix before (see here). If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a unique virtual tour software that lets you upload several 360 photos, which it can analyze and automatically connect in relation to each other, and even create a 3D model in the process.

Now Cupix has added a new function: you can export your Cupix virtual tour as a Street View Virtual Tour. Since the photos are already connected in Cupix, you won’t have to connect the photos manually in Street View! Here’s a video demo:

Cupix therefore enables you to upload several 360 photos, have Cupix’s powerful software connect them, and then you can upload the tour to Google Maps, allowing you to create a virtual tour on Street View without the need to connect any of the photos manually, whether or not your photos have GPS geolocation data.

Now that you know how to post virtual tours easily to Google Maps, which virtual tour are you going to post first?  Let me know in the comments!

About the author

Mic Ty

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  • Can you update your instructions for manual virtual tour? Or add some screen shots, it’s not working for me. I don’t know where the “profile tab” is.

    Cupix is way too overpriced.

  • hi. i have a problem with street view pls help me. when i add some 360 photos and make them connect .they are connected and have arrow between but in vr mood i dont how arrow for moving.what is the problem?:I(

  • Hi. Many times happen that in the mobile version, the profile business is connected with a old photo( just one), posted for chance by a tourist . It is practically impossible to say to street view to remove the old picture and connect with the new one with the virtual tour. Very bad service by street view. Even if using google business and say to street view that the pictures is not correct , street view will not remove. So, is useless to make a new virtual tour if in the profile there is already a single stupid 360 old photo

  • Hello, I just downloaded the Cupix and transfer the photos, but I can’t make the pane to face where I want. I’m wondering if you have a tutorial, I was checking in Youtube, but I couldn’t find the answer.
    Great product is just a learning process.

  • Hey, I´ve currently got the issue, that I connected the Photos I uploaded on google, but the arrows don’t appear in the photos to move around. So now I’ve got several different photos online, but you have to go from one photo to another one manually. which isn’t really the point of it. I did this in the google street view app without any external software.
    Thank you for your Help

  • Hi Mic,

    I’m currently adding photos to a location on the Google Street View app, but can’t figure out how to connect them. Could you elaborate on what you mean by “tap on a line between photos to connect them.” Should a line automatically populate? Do I need to create a line between them somehow? Pretty lost on this step.

    Thanks!