Converting Images Inside KMZ Files

Currently, HelioScope doesn't support KMZ files that use TIFF or BMP imagery as overlays. If you have a KMZ file with unsupported imagery, this article will explain how to convert your imagery to a supported format (JPEG and KMZ) and how to replace the image inside the KMZ.

Converting Images to JPEG or PNG

Mac Computer:

1. Open the image in Preview
2. Click File > Save As (or Export)
3. Under the Format dropdown choose JPG or PNG 
4. Click Save

Windows Computer

1. Open the image in Windows Paint
2. Click File > Save As
3. Select JPEG

Note: changing the file name extension will not change the image format correctly.

Replacing Imagery Inside the KMZ

After the imagery is converted into a compatible format, replace the TIFF imagery inside the KMZ with the new JPEG or PNG version of the imagery using the following steps:

1. Open the KMZ file in Google Earth
2. Right-click on the KMZ file listed in the Places section
3. Click "Get Info" to open the Edit Image Overlay
4. On the Edit Image Overlay click "Browse" to select the JPEG. Click OK.
5. Right-click on the KMZ file again and click Save Place As

How Do I Access the Underlying Image?

If you only have a KMZ file and you don't have the underlying image that created it, you can simply rename the file from .kmz to .zip. This will convert the KMZ to a compressed file folder and you can open it with a zip extractor. Inside the folder will be the original image, which you can convert as stated above.