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Export Google Maps Saved Places: Complete Guide (All Formats)

The definitive guide to exporting Google Maps saved places with coordinates. Learn how to overcome the missing coordinates problem and convert to GPX, KML, GeoJSON, and CSV formats.

March 25, 2025

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8 min read

Over years of using Google Maps, you've built up a collection of saved places - starred restaurants, "Want to go" destinations, custom lists for trips. This data represents real value: places you've discovered, recommendations from friends, spots you want to remember. But what happens when you want to use this data outside of Google Maps?

Maybe you're switching to an offline navigation app for an upcoming trip. Perhaps you want to visualize your places in Google Earth, analyze them in a spreadsheet, or simply back them up. Whatever the reason, you'll quickly discover that Google makes exporting surprisingly difficult - and the exported data is missing the most important piece: coordinates.

This guide explains how to export your saved places and get them into a usable format with proper latitude and longitude data.

Understanding Google Maps Saved Places

Before diving into the export process, it helps to understand what "Saved Places" actually includes. In Google Maps, your saved data consists of:

  • Starred places - Your default favorites, marked with a star
  • "Want to go" list - Places you've saved for future visits
  • Custom lists - Any lists you've created (e.g., "Tokyo 2025", "Best Coffee Shops")
  • Labeled places - Locations you've given custom labels like "Home" or "Office"

All of these can be exported, but they all share the same limitation: Google's export doesn't include coordinates.

Not sure which guide you need? This guide covers Saved Places from the regular Google Maps app. If you created a custom map at mymaps.google.com with pins, routes, and layers, see our Google My Maps export guide instead - that process is different and simpler.

The Missing Coordinates Problem

When you export your data through Google Takeout, you get CSV files containing place names, addresses, and URLs - but no latitude or longitude. This matters because:

  • GPS devices need coordinates - They can't navigate to "123 Main St" without converting it to lat/long
  • Mapping applications expect coordinates - Tools like Google Earth, OsmAnd, and GIS software work with geographic coordinates
  • Addresses alone are ambiguous - "123 Main St" exists in thousands of cities

To use your saved places in other applications, you need to geocode them - convert the addresses into coordinates. This guide covers how to do that.

Step 1: Export from Google Takeout

First, get your data out of Google:

  1. Go to Google Takeout
  2. Click "Deselect all" at the top (you don't need your entire Google history)
  3. Scroll down and select only "Saved" - this contains your Google Maps saved places
  4. Click "Next step"
  5. Choose "Export once" and .zip format
  6. Click "Create export"
  7. Wait for the email (usually a few minutes, sometimes hours for large accounts)
  8. Download and unzip the file

Inside, you'll find a "Saved" folder containing CSV files for each of your lists.

Step 2: Add Coordinates (Geocoding)

The CSV files from Google Takeout don't have coordinates. You have a few options to add them:

For a few places: Manual lookup

If you only have a handful of places, you can look up each one manually:

  • Search for the place in Google Maps
  • Right-click the location and select "What's here?"
  • Copy the coordinates that appear

This works for 5-10 places but becomes tedious quickly.

For many places: Use a geocoding service

For larger exports, you'll want an automated solution. Takeout Tools is designed specifically for this - upload your Google Takeout CSV files, and it adds coordinates and exports to your preferred format.

Other geocoding options include:

  • Google Geocoding API - Requires developer setup and has per-request costs
  • Nominatim (OpenStreetMap) - Free but rate-limited, requires technical knowledge
  • Mapbox Geocoding API - Similar to Google, requires developer setup

The advantage of a purpose-built tool like Takeout Tools is that it handles the Google Takeout format directly without requiring you to wrangle CSV columns or manage API keys.

Step 3: Choose Your Export Format

Once your places have coordinates, you can export them in several formats. Each has different strengths:

GPX - For Navigation Apps & GPS Devices

GPX (GPS Exchange Format) is the universal standard for GPS data. Use it for:

  • Offline navigation apps - OsmAnd, Organic Maps, Locus Map
  • GPS devices - Garmin handhelds, cycling computers
  • Outdoor activities - Hiking, cycling, geocaching

GPX files contain waypoints (individual places) and can also include tracks (routes you've traveled).

KML - For Google Earth & Visualization

KML (Keyhole Markup Language) was created for Google Earth. Use it for:

  • Google Earth - 3D visualization with terrain and satellite imagery
  • Google My Maps - Creating shareable custom maps
  • Presentations - Visual storytelling with geographic data

KML supports rich styling like custom icons, colors, and descriptions.

GeoJSON - For Developers & Web Maps

GeoJSON is the standard for web mapping. Use it for:

  • Web applications - Leaflet, Mapbox GL, OpenLayers
  • Data analysis - Python/R geospatial libraries, QGIS
  • APIs - Most modern mapping services accept GeoJSON

CSV with Coordinates - For Spreadsheets & Databases

A geocoded CSV adds latitude and longitude columns to your original data. Use it for:

  • Spreadsheet analysis - Excel, Google Sheets
  • Database import - PostgreSQL/PostGIS, MySQL
  • Custom processing - When you need to manipulate the raw data

Importing Into Common Applications

OsmAnd (Offline Navigation)

  1. Export as GPX
  2. Transfer the file to your device
  3. In OsmAnd: Menu → My Places → Favorites → Import
  4. Select your GPX file

For detailed steps, see How to Transfer Saved Places to OsmAnd.

Google Earth

  1. Export as KML
  2. Open Google Earth Pro (desktop) or earth.google.com
  3. File → Import (or drag and drop the KML file)
  4. Your places appear as placemarks in the left panel

Garmin GPS Devices

  1. Export as GPX
  2. Connect your Garmin device via USB
  3. Copy the GPX file to the Garmin/GPX folder on the device
  4. Disconnect and your waypoints will appear

For detailed steps, see How to Transfer Saved Places to Garmin.

Pro Tips

  1. Export by list, not all at once. If you have multiple lists (travel, restaurants, etc.), keeping them separate makes organization easier in your destination app.

  2. Check your geocoding results. Automated geocoding is usually accurate, but unusual place names or closed businesses can sometimes resolve to wrong locations. Spot-check important places.

  3. Keep your original export. Save the raw Google Takeout files before processing. If you need to re-geocode or try a different format later, you'll have the source data.

  4. Update periodically. If you actively add places to Google Maps, re-export every few months to keep your other apps in sync.

  5. Use descriptive filenames. When exporting, name files by list and date (e.g., "tokyo-restaurants-2025-01.gpx") so you can track what's current.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't Google include coordinates in the export?

Google hasn't explained this officially. The export includes Google Maps URLs for each place, which contain enough information for Google to locate them - but not in a format other applications can use directly.

Will I lose my custom list organization?

The list structure is preserved in the export. Each list becomes a separate CSV file, and most export tools maintain this organization in the output (e.g., as separate GPX files or folders within a KML).

What about places that no longer exist?

Closed businesses or removed locations may fail to geocode if the address is no longer valid. Most geocoding services will flag these so you know which places need attention.

Can I export places I've just visited (Location History)?

This guide covers Saved Places (starred locations, lists). Your Location History (where you've actually been) is a separate dataset. Google Takeout can export that too, but the format and processing is different.

How often should I back up my saved places?

If your saved places are important to you, export them at least once or twice a year. Google accounts can be locked or data can be lost - having a local backup protects your curated collection.

Export All Your Saved Places

Convert to any format with coordinates included

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Already have geo files? Validate and convert them with our free browser-based tools:

See Other Export Guides

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