KMZ to KML
Get the KML inside a KMZ file, ready for the apps and websites that only accept KML.
or drop them here · up to 50 MB per file, free
Bigger files? Pro converts files up to 500 MBOver the free limits: you can unlock the download from €1.99.
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KMZ to KML in 3 steps
- Select one or more KMZ files.
- Choose whether to keep the pictures (icons and image overlays) next to the KML.
- Click Convert to KML and download the file.
A KMZ is a zipped KML
Google Earth saves maps as KMZ: a ZIP archive with the map itself, a KML file usually called doc.kml, and sometimes the pictures it uses, such as custom pin icons, photos in balloons or scanned maps laid over the terrain. Many tools only read plain KML: web maps built with Leaflet or OpenLayers, GIS plug-ins, GPS converters and land or farm registration forms. The converter takes out the main KML exactly as it is inside, so coordinates, folders, styles and descriptions are untouched.
A KML cannot contain images, only links to them. If the KMZ carries icons or overlays, the page tells you how many, and you can choose a ZIP with the KML plus its files folder: unzip it and the links still work. If you only need the points, lines and areas, the KML alone is enough; pins without their custom icon are drawn with the default one. A file named .kmz that is really a KML inside is given back as it is.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert KMZ to KML in Google Earth?
In Google Earth Pro, open the KMZ, right-click it under Places, choose Save Place As and pick KML. This page does the same without installing anything, also on a phone, and with several files at once.
What is the difference between KMZ and KML?
KML is the text file with the map data (XML). KMZ is the same KML compressed in a ZIP, optionally with the images it uses. KMZ files are smaller to send; KML files are easier for other programs to read and edit.
Will the coordinates or shapes change?
No. The KML is taken out byte for byte as Google Earth or the app wrote it: nothing is recalculated, rounded or reordered.
My KMZ contains several KML files. Which one do I get?
The main one: doc.kml, or otherwise the first KML in the archive, which is also the one Google Earth opens. With the option to keep the pictures, the ZIP contains every file of the KMZ.
Are my files uploaded?
No. The files are read and converted by your browser on your own device and never sent to a server.
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Part of: Data tools