Convert a KML or KMZ file to GPX for GPS devices, hiking apps and navigation software. Points become waypoints, lines become tracks or routes, Google Earth tracks keep their times, and polygon boundaries can be written as outlines. The file is read in your browser and never uploaded.
- Free, no signup
- KML and KMZ
- Waypoints, tracks or routes
- Runs in your browser: no upload
No file handy? Download a sample KML with a point, a line with altitude, a polygon and a time-stamped Google Earth track.
How to convert KML to GPX
- Load the file. Drop a .kml or .kmz file onto the box above, or click it to browse.
- Check the plan. The page counts the waypoints, tracks and routes it will write and tells you what it did with polygons.
- Choose the options. Decide whether lines become tracks or routes, what to do with polygons, and whether to use altitude as elevation.
- Download. Click Download GPX. Import the file into your GPS device software, hiking or navigation app.
How KML becomes GPX
GPX has three building blocks: waypoints, routes and tracks. KML has shapes. This is how they map:
| In the KML | In the GPX |
|---|---|
| A point placemark | A waypoint, with the placemark's name and description. A KML time stamp becomes the waypoint time. |
A line (LineString) | A track with one segment (the default), or a route if you choose routes. |
A Google Earth GPS track (gx:Track) | Always a track, because it is a recorded path. The time of every point is kept. |
| A polygon | GPX has no polygons. The boundary is written as a track (one segment for the outer boundary and one for each hole) so the outline can be followed, or you can skip polygons. |
A placemark with several shapes (MultiGeometry) | Each shape is written on its own. Several lines in one placemark become separate tracks or routes with a number added to the name. |
| Altitude | Elevation, if the KML has non-zero altitudes and you leave the option ticked. |
| Styles, colours, icons, folders, custom data | Not carried over. GPX has no equivalent. |
Track or route?
A track is a recorded path: devices draw it on the map as you travel. A route is a planned path: many devices and apps use it for turn-by-turn style guidance, and they may reduce or recalculate it. For a line you want to show on a map or follow by eye, use a track. For a path you want a navigation app to treat as a planned route, use a route. Check how your own device or app treats each kind.
Common problems and how to fix them
The page says this is not valid KML
The XML could not be read, or the file is XML of another kind. Open the file in a text editor and check that it starts with a kml element.
My polygon became a line
GPX cannot store polygons. The outline is written as a track so you can follow the boundary. Choose Skip polygons if you do not want them.
The elevation is missing
Elevation is written only when the KML coordinates have non-zero altitudes. Many KML files store 0 for every altitude, and those are treated as having none.
My device does not show the names
Waypoint names are written in the standard name field. How a device displays them depends on the device. Very long names may be shortened by some devices.
Some placemarks were left out
Placemarks without a shape, and placemarks with coordinates outside the valid range, are skipped. The page says how many.
What this converter does and does not do
- Output: GPX 1.1, with WGS 84 coordinates.
- Not kept: styles, icons, colours, folders, custom data fields, camera views, and ground overlays or network links.
- Descriptions are written as plain text, with HTML removed.
- Runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded and there is no signup, so the practical size limit is your computer's memory.
KML or GPX: what is the difference?
KML is the Google Earth format: shapes with styling and folders. GPX is the exchange format for GPS devices, fitness watches and hiking apps: waypoints, routes and tracks with times and elevations. Convert KML to GPX to load a planned path or a set of places onto a GPS device or into a navigation app. To go back, use GPX to KML.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert KML to GPX?
Drop the .kml or .kmz file onto the converter, choose the options, then click Download GPX. Import the file into your GPS software or app.
Is it free, and do I need an account?
It is free and needs no account or signup. The file is read in your browser and never uploaded to a server.
Can it open KMZ files?
Yes. The page opens the KMZ and reads the main .kml inside.
What happens to points, lines and polygons?
Points become waypoints. Lines become tracks, or routes if you choose. GPX has no polygons, so a polygon boundary is written as a track, or skipped if you choose.
Should I choose tracks or routes?
Use tracks for a path you want to see on a map or follow by eye. Use routes for a planned path you want a navigation app to treat as a route. Check how your device or app treats each kind.
Are names and descriptions kept?
Yes. The placemark name becomes the waypoint, track or route name, and the description is written as plain text with the HTML removed.
Are time stamps kept?
Yes, in two cases. A KML time stamp on a point becomes the waypoint time. The times of a Google Earth gx:Track become the time of each track point.
Is altitude kept?
Yes. If the KML coordinates have non-zero altitudes, they are written as elevation. Many KML files store 0 for every altitude; those are treated as having none.
Are colours and icons kept?
No. GPX has no styling. Your device or app decides how to draw the data.
Which GPX version does it write?
GPX 1.1, with WGS 84 coordinates.
What happens to a placemark with several lines?
Each line is written separately, as a track or route, and a number is added to the name so you can tell them apart.
Is there a file size limit?
There is no fixed limit, but the work happens in your browser's memory. Very large files can be slow, especially on a phone.
How do I convert GPX back to KML?
Use GPX to KML, which keeps waypoints, routes, tracks and times for Google Earth.
Related tools and guides
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Request a consultationLast updated 2026-10-15. Published by Sagarmekhla GIS Consultancy.