Convert KMZ to GPX to put a compressed Google Earth route onto a GPS unit or phone app for the field. Everything, from unzip to rewrite, happens inside this tab on your machine.
Drop a file here, or click to browse
KML, KMZ, SHP (.zip), GeoJSON, GPKG, GML, GPX, DXF, CSV, Excel, and more
No KMZ file to hand? Download a sample KMZ 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 KMZ to GPX, and what to watch for.
| What | KMZ → 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 | KMZ 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 KMZ into GPX wherever the source records them. |
| File structure | Kept | A single, self-contained .gpx file you can move around on its own. |
People convert KMZ to GPX to move a map out of Google Earth and onto a device that navigates. A KMZ is how Google Earth hands someone a finished map, often bundling placemarks, paths and icons in one small zipped file. However, a Garmin unit, a running watch or Komoot cannot read it. GPX is the language those tools speak. So you convert to load a saved route onto a handheld GPS, replay a planned trail in Strava, or share tracks between navigation apps. Both formats use WGS84, so the coordinates line up cleanly.
KMZ 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 KMZ data is in the wrong place" surprise; the guide on coordinate systems and EPSG codes goes deeper.
Check what geometry your KMZ actually holds. GPX only stores waypoints, routes and tracks, so polygons and other area shapes have no home in it. Also, a KMZ often bundles custom icons, images and rich descriptions. GPX carries limited attributes, so those extra fields get simplified or dropped. Before you rely on the GPX, open it and confirm your points and paths came across.
KMZ 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 KMZ is the zipped Google Earth file you get after plotting a route or marking waypoints on satellite imagery. GPX is what a Garmin unit or Strava expects instead. This conversion pulls the placemarks and paths out of the compressed .kml inside and rewrites them as GPX waypoints, routes and tracks. In practice, it turns a map you designed on screen into something a handheld GPS or fitness app can actually follow in the field.
No. GPX only holds waypoints, routes and tracks, so polygons, styling and any bundled images or icons inside the KMZ are dropped. Point placemarks become waypoints and paths become tracks or routes.
Yes. GPX is the native language of handheld GPS units, so you can copy it to a Garmin or import it into Strava, Komoot or GPSBabel. Coordinates are already in WGS84, so no reprojection is needed.
GPX only understands waypoints, routes and tracks, so it has no polygon or overlay concept. Area shapes are typically reduced to their boundary path, and image overlays or 3D tours are dropped. Points and line paths carry across cleanly, which covers most navigation use.
Yes. GPX is the native exchange format for Garmin handhelds and watches, so you can copy the output into the device or import it through Garmin Connect. Strava, Komoot and GPSBabel read the same file, so one conversion covers most outdoor apps.
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.
