A KMZ file is a file that stores map locations viewable in Google Earth, a global mapping program. It contains placemarks that may include a custom name and the latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates of the location. KMZ files provide a bird's eye view of locations throughout the U.S. and other areas of the world.

KMZ file open in Google Earth 7 KMZ files may also include limited 3D model data exported from Google Sketchup (as an .SKP file) or from ArchiCAD. The model can be placed on the map at a specific location to provide an idea of what the building will look like in that area. KMZ files are zipped .KML files, which make them easier to distribute and share with multiple users. You can open a KMZ file in Google Maps by saving the KMZ file to an online location and then typing the URL in the Google Maps search box. For example, if your file is hosted at http://mywebsite.com/myfile.kmz, type the URL in the search box and it will be displayed in Google Maps. Alternatively, to display your KMZ file in Google Maps, you can construct the URL yourself by prefixing it with http://maps.google.com/maps?q=. Therefore, using the same URL from above, you would type the following URL in your Web browser: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://mywebsite.com/myfile.kmz