Convert a KML or KMZ file to a zipped shapefile with the .shp, .shx, .dbf, .prj and .cpg files. Mixed points, lines and polygons are split into separate shapefiles, names, descriptions and custom data become attribute fields, and polygon holes are kept. The file is read in your browser and never uploaded.
- Free, no signup
- KML and KMZ
- Handles mixed geometry types
- Runs in your browser: no upload
No file handy? Download a sample KML with a folder, points, a line, a polygon with a hole and custom data.
How to convert KML to a shapefile
- Load the file. Drop a .kml or .kmz file onto the box above, or click it to browse. KMZ files are opened for you.
- Check the plan. The page counts the points, lines and polygons and lists the shapefiles it will write. KML often mixes types, and a shapefile holds only one, so the data is split.
- Choose the options. Set the file name, decide how to treat descriptions and numbers, and whether field names are limited to safe characters.
- Download. Click Download shapefile (.zip). The zip holds the .shp, .shx, .dbf, .prj and .cpg files for each geometry type.
What you get
The download is a .zip. Inside it, each shapefile is a set of five files that share one name: the shapes (.shp), their index (.shx), the attribute table (.dbf), the coordinate system (.prj, always WGS 84 because KML is always WGS 84) and the text encoding (.cpg, UTF-8). Load the zip straight into QGIS or ArcGIS Pro, or unzip it first.
Why you may get more than one shapefile
A shapefile can only hold one kind of geometry. A KML file usually mixes points, lines and polygons, so the page writes one shapefile for each kind, named after your file with _points, _lines or _polygons added. A placemark that holds shapes of several kinds (a MultiGeometry) is split, and each part becomes its own record with the same attributes. If your KML has only one kind, you get one shapefile with the plain name.
How KML becomes shapefile fields
| In the KML | In the shapefile |
|---|---|
| Placemark name | A name field. |
| Placemark description | A description field, as plain text unless you untick that option. Text longer than 254 bytes is cut, because that is the limit of a shapefile text field. |
| The folders a placemark sits in | A folder field, if you leave that option ticked. |
ExtendedData (Data and SimpleData) | One field per data name. Names are shortened to 10 characters, made unique, and listed on the page. |
| Values that are numbers in every placemark | A numeric field (with Convert numbers ticked). Anything else is a text field. |
| Polygon holes | Kept. Outer rings are written clockwise and holes counter-clockwise, as the shapefile format requires. |
| Altitude, styles, icons, time stamps | Not written. The shapefile is 2D and holds attributes and shapes only. |
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 and was not cut off during download.
I got a shapefile for points and another for polygons
That is expected: see above. Add each .shp file to your GIS as its own layer.
Field names look different
The shapefile format limits field names to 10 characters. The page shortens them, keeps them unique and lists what it renamed.
The descriptions are cut off
A shapefile text field holds at most 254 bytes. Longer text is cut and the page tells you how many values were. If you need the full text, convert to GeoJSON or CSV instead.
The coordinates are in the wrong place in my GIS
The .prj file says WGS 84 (EPSG:4326). If the layer lands in the wrong place, check that your GIS read the .prj. To get UTM or another system, reproject with the CRS Converter.
What this converter does and does not do
- Placemarks only. Ground overlays, screen overlays, photo overlays and network links are counted and not converted.
- Not kept: styles, icons, colours, time stamps, camera views, altitudes and 3D models.
- 2D and WGS 84 only.
- Runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded and there is no signup, so the practical size limit is your computer's memory.
KML or shapefile: what is the difference?
KML is the Google Earth format: one XML file with shapes, styling and folders. A shapefile is the format desktop GIS software and many agencies expect: several files, one geometry type each, a table of attributes with short field names. Convert KML to a shapefile to analyse the data in a GIS, edit it, or send it to someone who needs that format. To go back to Google Earth, use Shapefile to KML.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert KML to a shapefile?
Drop the .kml or .kmz file onto the converter, check the plan, then click Download shapefile (.zip). You get a zip with the .shp, .shx, .dbf, .prj and .cpg files.
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.
Why did I get several shapefiles from one KML?
A shapefile holds one geometry type. If your KML has points, lines and polygons, the page writes one shapefile for each, named with _points, _lines or _polygons.
What happens to a placemark with several shapes?
It is split into its parts. Each part becomes a record in the right shapefile and repeats the placemark's attributes.
Which attributes are kept?
The name, the description, optionally the folder path, and every ExtendedData field. Field names are shortened to the 10-character limit and made unique.
What coordinate system does the shapefile use?
WGS 84 longitude/latitude (EPSG:4326), written to the .prj file. KML is always in that system, so no reprojection is needed.
Does it keep holes in polygons?
Yes. Inner boundaries become holes. Outer rings are written clockwise and holes counter-clockwise, as shapefiles require.
Does it keep colours, icons and altitude?
No. A shapefile holds shapes and attributes. The page is 2D and does not carry styling. Use KML Studio to keep working with styled KML.
How are numbers stored?
KML data values are all text. When every value in a field is a number, the field is numeric in the shapefile. Values with leading zeros stay as text so no digits are lost.
Are accents and non-Latin names kept?
Yes. The text is stored as UTF-8 with a .cpg file. Current GIS software reads it correctly.
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.
Can QGIS and ArcGIS open the result?
Yes. The output was read back with GDAL and GeoPandas to check the geometry, attributes and coordinate system.
How do I convert a shapefile to KML?
Use Shapefile to KML, which reads the .dbf and .prj and writes KML or KMZ.
Related tools and guides
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Request a consultationLast updated 2026-10-15. Published by Sagarmekhla GIS Consultancy.