tigtools

GPX to KML

Choose a .gpx file from a GPS device, watch or app to open it in Google Earth or Google My Maps. Nothing is uploaded.

Runs in your browser No sign-up

or drop it here. The file stays on your device.

How to use it

  1. Export the activity or route from your device or app as GPX.
  2. Choose or drop the .gpx file here.
  3. Decide whether to keep timestamps as gx:Track.
  4. Download the KML file and open it in Google Earth or import it into My Maps.

How it works

The GPX file (version 1.0 or 1.1) is parsed with your browser's XML parser. Waypoints become placemarks with a Point (and a TimeStamp when they have a time); routes become LineStrings; tracks become LineStrings, or gx:Track elements with when and gx:coord values when every point has a time. Tracks with several segments become a MultiGeometry or gx:MultiTrack. Elevation is written as the third coordinate. Tracks marked with the type 'polygon' (for example by our KML to GPX converter) become polygons again.

The KML has three folders (Waypoints, Routes, Tracks) and simple line styles. Line altitude mode is left at the KML default (clamped to the ground), so Google Earth draws tracks on the terrain while the elevation values remain in the file. GPX extensions such as heart rate, cadence or temperature are not carried over.

Examples

Hike in Google Earth

Convert the GPX from a watch with timestamps kept, open the KML in Google Earth Pro and replay the hike with the time slider.

Planned route in My Maps

Convert a GPX route from a route planner with timestamps off and import the KML as a layer in Google My Maps to share it.

Frequently asked questions

Why is there a time slider in Google Earth?

Tracks with times are written as gx:Track, which Google Earth animates. Untick the timestamp option to get a plain line.

Is heart rate or cadence kept?

No. These live in GPX extensions that KML has no standard place for, so only position, elevation and time are converted.

Does it work with large GPX files?

Yes, tracks with hundreds of thousands of points convert in a few seconds on most devices. Very large files may be slow to open in Google Earth.

Privacy

The GPX file is read and converted in your browser. Your locations are not uploaded or stored, and only an anonymous event that the tool was used is counted.