Convert KML to GPX so a route planned in Google Earth can guide a Garmin, a watch or a phone app in the field. Conversion runs on-device in the browser: plan at your desk, download, and go.
Drop a file here, or click to browse
KML, KMZ, SHP (.zip), GeoJSON, GPKG, GML, GPX, DXF, CSV, Excel, and more
No KML file to hand? Download a sample KML file (100 points) and drop it above to see the conversion.
Every format stores different things, so a conversion is never perfectly loss-free. Here is exactly what carries over when you convert KML to GPX, and what to watch for.
| What | KML → GPX | |
|---|---|---|
| Geometry | Changes | Points and lines transfer directly. GPX has no polygon type, so polygons are converted to their boundary as line tracks rather than being dropped. |
| Attributes | Changes | GPX has a fixed schema, so only its native fields (name, description, elevation, time) are filled. Extra columns are not written. |
| Styling & labels | Dropped | KML colours, icons and description balloons are presentation, not data. GPX stores the underlying features, so styling is dropped (the geometry and attributes remain). |
| Coordinate system | Changes | GPX is defined in WGS84 (EPSG:4326), so data is reprojected to lon/lat on the way out. |
| Elevation (Z) | Kept | 3D Z values carry from KML into GPX wherever the source records them. |
| File structure | Kept | A single, self-contained .gpx file you can move around on its own. |
People draw routes and placemarks in Google Earth, but a Garmin watch or handheld unit will not read KML. So they convert to GPX, the language every GPS device and fitness app understands. For example, you might trace a hiking loop over satellite imagery, then push it to a Garmin for the trail. GPX is also how apps like Strava and Komoot swap routes. Both formats already store coordinates in WGS84, so the geometry lines up cleanly. This turns a shareable Google Earth map into a track you can actually navigate outdoors.
KML is already defined in WGS84 longitude/latitude (EPSG:4326), so no guessing is needed on the way in.
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 KML data is in the wrong place" surprise; the guide on coordinate systems and EPSG codes goes deeper.
Check your geometry types. GPX only speaks waypoints, routes, and tracks, so a KML polygon has no real equivalent and may be dropped or reduced to a line. Also, GPX carries far fewer attribute fields than KML. Rich placemark descriptions, styling, and custom data will be simplified or lost. Confirm your KML points and paths are what you need before loading the result onto a device.
KML files typically come out of Google Earth, Google Maps, QGIS, ArcGIS. 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.
A route often begins in Google Earth, sketched over satellite imagery and saved as KML. That file looks great on a screen, but a Garmin or a running watch will not open it. GPX is the language those devices speak. Converting turns your placemarks and paths into waypoints, routes and tracks. Once exported, the same trail loads onto a handheld unit, or into Strava and Komoot for the field.
Not really. GPX only supports waypoints, routes, and tracks, so a filled KML polygon has no direct match and is typically dropped or reduced to a line of points. Convert point and path features for the most reliable result.
Yes. GPX is the standard format Garmin devices import, so you can copy the file to the unit or send it through Garmin Connect. It also opens in Strava, Komoot, and QGIS.
GPX has no polygon type. It stores only waypoints, routes and tracks. A KML polygon is written out as a track line that follows its outline, and any fill or area styling is dropped.
Placemark names become waypoint or track names, which is exactly what shows up on a Garmin. GPX keeps only a handful of standard fields, so custom KML styling and icon colors are not preserved. Longer descriptions may be trimmed.
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.
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.
