Convert a KML or KMZ file to a CSV or Excel spreadsheet. Each placemark becomes one row with its name, description, custom data fields, latitude, longitude and an optional WKT column for lines and polygons. The file is read in your browser and never uploaded.
- Free, no signup
- Opens KML and KMZ
- CSV or Excel (.xlsx)
- Runs in your browser: no upload
No file handy? Download a sample KML with points, a line and a polygon.
How to convert a KML file to CSV
- Load the file. Drop a .kml or .kmz file onto the box above, or click it to browse. KMZ files are opened for you; there is no need to unzip them first.
- Check the preview. The page counts the placemarks, points, lines and polygons it found and shows the first rows of the table.
- Choose the options. Decide what the Latitude and Longitude columns hold for lines and polygons, whether to add a WKT column, and which separator to use. The defaults suit most files.
- Download. Click Download CSV for a plain table, or Download Excel for an .xlsx workbook. The other columns in your file become columns in the table.
What the CSV contains
Every placemark in the file becomes one row. The columns are:
| Column | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Name | The name of the placemark. |
| Description | The description text, with HTML tags removed so it reads cleanly in a spreadsheet. |
| Folder | The folder (or folders) the placemark sits in, for example Sample places / Parks. |
| Geometry | Point, LineString, Polygon, or a Multi type when a placemark holds several shapes. |
| Latitude, Longitude | Decimal degrees, as stored in the KML (WGS84). For a point this is the point itself. For lines and polygons it is the first vertex, or the approximate centre if you choose that. |
| Altitude | Added only when the file contains non-zero altitudes. |
| Your own fields | One column for each custom data field (ExtendedData), for example population or status. |
| WKT | Optional. The full geometry in Well-Known Text, so lines and polygons are not reduced to a single point. |
Lines and polygons
A spreadsheet row can hold one pair of coordinates, so a line or polygon cannot be written out vertex by vertex in the Latitude and Longitude columns. This converter keeps the shape in the WKT column and puts a single representative position in Latitude and Longitude. Most GIS software, including QGIS, can read a WKT column directly, and the shape can be turned back into a map later. Polygon holes (inner boundaries) are kept in the WKT. Google Earth GPS tracks (gx:Track) are read as lines.
Common problems and how to fix them
No placemarks were found
Only Placemark elements are converted. Ground overlays, screen overlays and network links hold no placemarks. A file that contains only a NetworkLink is a pointer to another file; open the file it points to instead.
Accented characters look broken in Excel
Leave Excel-friendly UTF-8 ticked. It adds a byte-order mark so Excel reads names such as Café correctly. Or download the Excel (.xlsx) version, which has no such problem.
Everything lands in one column
Some regional versions of Excel expect a semicolon as the separator. Change CSV separator to Semicolon and download again.
My description is full of HTML
The Description column removes tags, line breaks are kept, and tables written inside descriptions are flattened to text. If the values you need are stored as a table inside the description rather than as custom data fields, they stay together in that one cell.
What this converter does and does not do
- One row per placemark. A placemark holding several shapes stays one row, with a Multi geometry type and a WKT value.
- Not exported: styles and icons, time stamps, camera views, ground overlays and network links.
- Coordinates as written. KML always stores WGS84 longitude and latitude in decimal degrees, so no datum change is applied. To convert to UTM afterwards use Lat Long to UTM.
- Safe for Excel. In the CSV, a text cell that begins with =, +, - or @ gets a leading apostrophe so Excel cannot run it as a formula. Coordinates are not affected, and the .xlsx file stores text as text.
- Runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, so the practical size limit is your computer's memory. Very large files may be slow on a phone.
KML or CSV: what is the difference?
KML is an XML format made for maps: it stores places, shapes and how Google Earth should draw them. CSV is a flat table of values with no map information of its own. Convert KML to CSV when you want to sort, filter or analyse the data in a spreadsheet, load it into a database, or join it with other tables. To go back the other way, use CSV to KML or Excel to KML.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a KML file to CSV?
Drop the .kml or .kmz file onto the converter, check the preview, then click Download CSV. Each placemark becomes one row with its name, description, coordinates and any custom data fields.
Is it free, and do I need an account?
It is free and needs no account or signup. The conversion runs in your browser and the file is never uploaded.
Does it open KMZ files?
Yes. A KMZ file is a zipped KML, and this page opens it directly, so you do not need to unzip it first. If a KMZ contains several KML files it reads doc.kml, or the first KML if there is no doc.kml.
Which columns does the CSV have?
Name, Description, Folder, Geometry, Latitude and Longitude, then Altitude if the file has non-zero altitudes, then one column for each custom data field, and optionally a WKT column with the full geometry.
Can it convert lines and polygons, not just points?
Yes. Lines and polygons become rows too. The full shape is kept in the WKT column, and Latitude and Longitude hold the first vertex or, if you choose, the approximate centre (the mean of the vertices).
Does it keep my custom data fields?
Yes. Fields stored as ExtendedData, either as Data or SimpleData, become their own columns. Placemarks that lack a field get an empty cell.
Does it work with files from Google Earth and Google My Maps?
It reads standard KML and KMZ placemarks, which is what both programs export. Folder names are kept in the Folder column. Items it cannot turn into rows, such as ground overlays, are not exported.
Why do accented characters look wrong when I open the CSV in Excel?
Excel needs a byte-order mark to recognise UTF-8. Leave the Excel-friendly UTF-8 option ticked, or download the .xlsx version instead.
Why is everything in a single column when I open the CSV?
Some regional versions of Excel use a semicolon as the list separator. Choose Semicolon under CSV separator and download the file again.
Can I turn the CSV back into a map?
Yes. Use CSV to KML or Excel to KML with the Latitude and Longitude columns. Lines and polygons stored only in the WKT column need a GIS program such as QGIS or KML Studio to be drawn again.
Is there a file size limit?
There is no fixed limit, but the work uses your browser's memory. Files with tens of thousands of placemarks convert quickly on a typical computer.
What is the difference between KML and CSV?
KML is an XML map format that stores places, shapes and styling. CSV is a plain table. A CSV is easier to filter and analyse, but it carries no styling and cannot draw a shape by itself.
Related tools and guides
Need survey data cleaned, projected or mapped at scale? Sagarmekhla GIS Consultancy offers GIS and remote sensing services.
Request a consultationLast updated 2026-10-14. Published by Sagarmekhla GIS Consultancy.