All converters
HomeSpreadsheet to map › CSV to GPX

Convert CSV to GPX

By , GIS & remote-sensing practitioner · Reviewed

Convert CSV waypoint lists to GPX files that Garmin units, phone apps and handheld receivers can navigate with. Your points are transformed on-device in the browser, never posted to a server.

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 GPX

  1. Drop the CSV of waypoints into the converter above.
  2. Match the latitude and longitude dropdowns to the right columns; a name column becomes each waypoint's label on the device.
  3. Choose GPX and convert, then copy the downloaded file to your GPS or import it into your tracking app.

What changes when you convert CSV to GPX

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

WhatCSV → GPX
GeometryChangesPoints and lines transfer directly. GPX has no polygon type, so polygons are converted to their boundary as line tracks rather than being dropped.
AttributesChangesGPX has a fixed schema, so only its native fields (name, description, elevation, time) are filled. Extra columns are not written.
Styling & labelsKeptNeither CSV nor GPX stores visual styling, so there is nothing to lose, the geometry and data carry straight over.
Coordinate systemChangesCSV carries no coordinate system, so values are read as WGS84 longitude/latitude (EPSG:4326), which GPX requires. Set a source CRS if your data is in metres.
Elevation (Z)KeptCSV is 2D, so there is no elevation to carry (add a Z/elevation column if you need one).
File structureKeptA single, self-contained .gpx file you can move around on its own.

What your spreadsheet needs first

You do not need to be a GIS expert to convert CSV to GPX. Your sheet needs just two things: a column of latitudes and a column of longitudes, and each row then becomes a GPS waypoint you can load onto a device. 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 GPX 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 GPX?

People keep field data in spreadsheets, but a GPS device cannot read a spreadsheet. So converting CSV to GPX turns a table of latitude and longitude columns into waypoints, routes or tracks a device understands. For example, a list of trailheads, survey stakes or delivery stops becomes points you can push to a Garmin unit or a handheld GPS. The same file also loads into Strava, Komoot or QGIS. So the round trip is common: plan and edit rows in Excel or Google Sheets, then hand the finished GPX to navigation and fitness apps that speak it natively.

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.

GPX is defined in WGS84 (EPSG:4326), so the output is reprojected to longitude/latitude, exactly what Google Earth and web maps expect. 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 GPX

Check your extra spreadsheet columns before you convert. GPX is built for waypoints, routes and tracks, so it carries only a limited set of attribute fields. Rich CSV columns like notes, categories or timestamps may be dropped or squeezed into a name or description tag. Also confirm your coordinate columns are real latitude and longitude, since GPX expects WGS84. Rows without valid coordinates are simply skipped.

Which software opens the result

CSV files typically come out of Excel, Google Sheets, QGIS, pandas. Once you convert to GPX, the file opens in Garmin devices (via Garmin Express or BaseCamp), Strava, Komoot, and phone apps like OsmAnd. The GPX output follows the standard specification exactly, so those programs read it without any special import settings.

Troubleshooting CSV to GPX

About the formats

A CSV is where field coordinates usually start life: a spreadsheet of waypoints logged by hand, pulled from a database, or exported by a sensor. GPX is what a Garmin unit, a running watch, or a navigation app actually reads. Converting bridges the two. Each CSV row with a valid latitude and longitude becomes a GPX waypoint. That means numbers sitting in a spreadsheet column turn into placeable stops you can carry into the field.

Frequently asked questions

Will my CSV become waypoints or a track in the GPX?

Point rows normally become individual waypoints, which is what most CSV tables of locations produce. If you want a connected track or route instead, the ordered sequence of points is written as a track, but GPX keeps waypoints, routes and tracks as separate structures.

Do all my CSV columns survive in the GPX file?

No. GPX only holds a small set of fields per point, so extra columns like category or comments are simplified, often folded into the name or description. Keep the original CSV if you need the full attribute set.

What happens to my extra spreadsheet columns?

GPX recognises only a handful of named tags per waypoint, such as name, elevation and description. A CSV name column maps cleanly to the waypoint name, and an elevation column fills the ele tag. Other columns like notes or category are folded into the description or dropped, since GPX has nowhere structured to store them.

Will my rows become a connected track or separate points?

By default each CSV row becomes an individual waypoint, not a joined track. That suits scattered stops like trailheads or sample sites. If you need an ordered route to load onto a Garmin, keep the rows in travel sequence, then let a tool like GPSBabel stitch them into a route or track afterwards.

What can open a GPX file after converting?

A GPX file opens in Garmin devices, Strava, Komoot and phone navigation apps. Because the output follows the standard specification, any tool that supports GPX will read it without special settings.

Does converting CSV to GPX lose any data?

No conversion is perfectly loss-free because each format stores different things, but GPX keeps points, lines and elevation, but it has a fixed set of fields, so extra attribute columns are not carried across, keep a CSV copy if you need them.

Related converters

Related reading