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Convert CSV to GeoPackage

By , GIS & remote-sensing practitioner · Reviewed

Convert CSV to GeoPackage and turn a loose coordinate file into a single .gpkg database that QGIS and ArcGIS open natively. The whole conversion runs inside your browser session, so nothing in the table is uploaded anywhere.

Drop a file here, or click to browse

KML, KMZ, SHP (.zip), GeoJSON, GPKG, GML, GPX, DXF, CSV, Excel, and more

No uploadNo trackingOpen standards (GDAL/OGR)Works offline once loaded

No CSV file to hand? Download a sample CSV file (100 points) and drop it above to see the conversion.

How to convert CSV to GeoPackage

  1. Add the CSV by dropping it above or browsing to it.
  2. Check the location pickers; WKT geometry takes priority, and latitude/longitude dropdowns cover plain point tables.
  3. Pick GeoPackage, press Convert, then save the .gpkg and load it straight into QGIS.

What changes when you convert CSV to GeoPackage

Every format stores different things, so a conversion is never perfectly loss-free. Here is exactly what carries over when you convert CSV to GeoPackage, and what to watch for.

WhatCSV → GeoPackage
GeometryKeptPoints, lines and polygons are preserved exactly, including multi-part shapes.
AttributesKeptEvery column and full field name moves from CSV into GeoPackage untouched.
Styling & labelsKeptNeither CSV nor GeoPackage stores visual styling, so there is nothing to lose, the geometry and data carry straight over.
Coordinate systemChangesCSV has no CRS. You can assign one before converting; otherwise the numbers are passed through and tagged WGS84.
Elevation (Z)KeptCSV is 2D, so there is no elevation to carry (add a Z/elevation column if you need one).
File structureKeptOne portable file that can hold multiple layers, no sidecars to lose.

What your spreadsheet needs first

You do not need to be a GIS expert to convert CSV to GeoPackage. Your sheet needs just two things: a column of latitudes and a column of longitudes, and each row then becomes a point feature in the GeoPackage database. Everything else, names, notes, dates, ID numbers, rides along as attributes on each point.

A correctly formatted CSV spreadsheet for mapping: a name column plus latitude and longitude columns in decimal degrees, one row per place
A mappable sheet: latitude and longitude columns in decimal degrees, one row per place.

The columns that matter

Store the coordinates as plain decimal degrees, like 33.6844 and 73.0479. If your values look like 33°41'04"N instead, convert them first with the coordinate converter. CSV to GeoPackage works with .xlsx, .xls, .csv and Google Sheets exports, and if the wrong column is picked you can fix it from the dropdowns before converting.

Why convert CSV to GeoPackage?

People keep point data in CSV because it edits easily in Excel, Google Sheets or pandas, and it feeds scripts and APIs. However, a flat text file cannot hold rich column types, multiple layers, or a stored coordinate system. GeoPackage fixes that. It is an OGC standard that packs vector features into one SQLite database file. So converting lets you turn an address or sensor table into a proper spatial layer. Then you get typed attributes, a defined geometry, and a single portable file for QGIS, ArcGIS Pro, or offline mobile GIS work. It is also the modern replacement for the shapefile.

Coordinate system handling

A spreadsheet has no coordinate system of its own. CSV rows are read as WGS84 longitude/latitude (EPSG:4326) unless you tell the tool otherwise. If your coordinates are projected, for example UTM eastings and northings in metres, pick the matching CRS before converting so the points land in the right place instead of near Null Island.

The coordinate system is preserved on output, or reprojected to WGS84 if you ask for it. A quick CRS check before you download saves the classic "my CSV data is in the wrong place" surprise; the guide on coordinate systems and EPSG codes goes deeper.

What to check when converting CSV to GeoPackage

Check your CSV has real coordinate columns first, for example latitude and longitude, or geometry stored as WKT. Rows without valid coordinates get skipped, so a bad column name means an empty layer. Also note that a GeoPackage keeps rich attribute types and long field names that CSV cannot describe. So confirm numbers stay numeric and are not read back as plain text.

Which software opens the result

CSV files typically come out of Excel, Google Sheets, QGIS, pandas. Once you convert to GeoPackage, the file opens in QGIS and ArcGIS Pro natively, and most modern mobile GIS apps. The GeoPackage output follows the standard specification exactly, so those programs read it without any special import settings.

Troubleshooting CSV to GeoPackage

About the formats

Your CSV is where the data starts: a flat table of rows, usually exported from a spreadsheet, carrying latitude and longitude columns that pin each record to a place. GeoPackage is where it lands for real GIS work. Instead of a loose text file, you get one SQLite database holding the points as a proper spatial layer. That means typed fields, an indexed geometry column, and a portable file that desktop and mobile GIS open directly.

Frequently asked questions

Does the CSV to GeoPackage conversion keep my column names and types?

Yes. Unlike a shapefile, a GeoPackage has no 10-character field-name limit and supports rich attribute types, so full column names carry over. Just make sure numeric columns hold clean values so they are stored as numbers.

Can I open the resulting GeoPackage in QGIS or ArcGIS Pro?

Yes. GeoPackage is an open OGC standard, so QGIS, ArcGIS Pro, GDAL-based tools, and many mobile GIS apps read it directly. You just add the .gpkg file as a vector layer.

Do my CSV column names survive the conversion to GeoPackage?

Yes, and in full. GeoPackage stores attributes in a SQLite table, so long headers like station_temperature_celsius stay intact rather than being truncated the way a shapefile would clip them to ten characters. Each column becomes a real database field.

How do I open the resulting GeoPackage in QGIS or ArcGIS Pro?

Treat it as a single file. In QGIS use the Data Source Manager or just drag the .gpkg onto the canvas, then pick the point layer inside. ArcGIS Pro adds it through the Catalog pane the same way. Because everything sits in one database, there are no side files to keep together.

What can open a GeoPackage file after converting?

A GeoPackage file opens in QGIS and ArcGIS Pro, and mobile GIS apps. Because the output follows the standard specification, any tool that supports GeoPackage will read it without special settings.

Does converting CSV to GeoPackage lose any data?

No conversion is perfectly loss-free because each format stores different things, but geometry and attributes are preserved; only presentation-level styling (which GeoPackage does not store) is left behind.

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