Files with the .KMZ extension contain compressed locations, as well as their details, such as labels, custom names, and the geographical latitude and altitude.

They can also contain simplified three-dimensional views of the neighborhood, such as a model of a building imported from the Google Sketchup software in the SKP format or from ArchiCad. KMZ files are KML files that have been compressed into ZIP form – this form eases distribution and sharing to many users simultaneously. The location can be viewed from above using software such as Google Earth; any place on Earth can be encoded this way. The file can also be accessed using Google Maps by locating the file online. The URL address, which is essentially the network address of the file, can then be entered into the Google Maps search bar, which will make the app open the file and show it on the map together with all other information.