Convert KMZ to shapefile and land compressed Google Earth data directly in QGIS or ArcGIS. One pass in the browser replaces unzipping, converting and re-zipping by hand, and the output zip holds the full five-file set.
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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 Shapefile, and what to watch for.
| What | KMZ → Shapefile | |
|---|---|---|
| Geometry | Changes | Points, lines and polygons are all carried over, but a Shapefile holds a single geometry type per file. A layer that mixes types is written one type at a time. |
| Attributes | Changes | Every column is kept, but the Shapefile .dbf caps field names at 10 characters, so long names are shortened (values are untouched). |
| Styling & labels | Dropped | KMZ colours, icons and description balloons are presentation, not data. Shapefile stores the underlying features, so styling is dropped (the geometry and attributes remain). |
| Coordinate system | Kept | The CRS is written into the sidecar .prj file. Data is reprojected to WGS84 by default, or a CRS you choose. |
| Elevation (Z) | Kept | 3D Z values carry from KMZ into Shapefile wherever the source records them. |
| File structure | Changes | A working Shapefile is several files, so you download one .zip holding .shp, .shx, .dbf, .prj and .cpg. Keep them together. |
People build maps in Google Earth and save them as KMZ, the zipped bundle that also holds custom icons and overlays. However, Google Earth is a viewer, not an analysis tool. So when placemarks, paths, and boundaries need real GIS work, they must become a Shapefile. Shapefile is the common exchange format for desktop GIS, so it loads cleanly into ArcGIS, QGIS, GeoServer, or MapInfo. Then you can join attributes, run spatial queries, edit parcels, or publish layers. In short, KMZ shares the finished picture, while Shapefile lets the data be measured and analyzed.
KMZ is already defined in WGS84 longitude/latitude (EPSG:4326), so no guessing is needed on the way in.
On output, the coordinate system is written into the Shapefile .prj file. By default the data is reprojected to WGS84, or you can choose another EPSG code if your workflow needs one. 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.
A KMZ often mixes points, lines, and polygons in one file. However, a Shapefile holds just one geometry type per file, so mixed features split into separate outputs. Also, field names get trimmed to 10 characters, and the icons, images, and ground overlays inside the KMZ are dropped since Shapefile stores only geometry and attributes. Finally, the download arrives as a .zip, so keep every part together.
KMZ files typically come out of Google Earth, Google Maps, QGIS, ArcGIS. Once you convert to Shapefile, the file opens in ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, MapInfo and GeoServer, the whole desktop-GIS world. The Shapefile output follows the standard specification exactly, so those programs read it without any special import settings.
A KMZ usually starts life in Google Earth, where placemarks and paths get drawn, styled and zipped into one shareable file. Shapefiles live on the other side, inside ArcGIS or QGIS, where analysts expect a proper attribute table and a recorded projection. Converting bridges that gap. This tool opens the archive, reads the KML placemarks inside, then rebuilds them as shapefile geometry so desktop GIS can query, style and edit them.
A Shapefile allows only one geometry type per file. So if your KMZ mixes placemarks, paths, and polygons, they split into separate point, line, and polygon Shapefiles.
Yes. Shapefile is the standard vector format for desktop GIS, so it loads directly into ArcGIS, QGIS, GeoServer, and MapInfo. Just unzip first and keep the .shp, .dbf, .shx, and .prj together.
No. A shapefile holds a single geometry type per file. Because your KMZ mixes points, lines and polygons, the conversion separates them by type. That means you may receive distinct point, line and polygon shapefiles rather than one combined layer.
Placemark names and ExtendedData tags become columns in the shapefile's .dbf table. Shapefile field names cap at 10 characters, so a long label like measurement_date gets truncated. Check the field names once the layer opens in ArcGIS or QGIS.
A Shapefile file opens in ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, MapInfo and most desktop GIS. Because the output follows the standard specification, any tool that supports Shapefile will read it without special settings.
No conversion is perfectly loss-free because each format stores different things, but the only change to watch is that shapefile field names are shortened to 10 characters; your geometry, coordinates and values are all preserved.
From that same KMZ you can just as easily pull a plain, editable KML, a GeoJSON layer for web maps, or an Excel sheet of the placemarks. See more on the KML & KMZ converter hub and the Shapefile converter.
