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Export Google Maps Places to CSV with Coordinates (Lat/Lng)

Learn how to export Google Maps places with coordinates (latitude/longitude) for spreadsheets and data analysis. Complete guide for adding missing coordinates to your Google Takeout exports.

July 8, 2025

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6 min read

When you export your Google Maps saved places through Google Takeout, you get a CSV file that seems perfect for spreadsheet work - names, addresses, notes, all neatly organized. Then you try to plot these places on a map or calculate distances, and you hit the wall: no coordinates. Google exports the "what" and "where" of your saved places, but not the precise geographic data you need for actual analysis.

This guide walks through how to get your saved places into a CSV format that includes proper latitude and longitude coordinates.

Why CSV with Coordinates?

A CSV with coordinates transforms your saved places from a simple list into genuinely useful data:

Analysis capabilities: Calculate distances between locations, identify clusters, create heat maps, or find the geographic center of your saved places. Spreadsheet formulas can do a lot with lat/long data.

Visualization options: Import into mapping tools like Google My Maps, Tableau, QGIS, or any platform that accepts CSV with coordinate columns. Create custom visualizations without being locked into Google's interface.

Integration flexibility: Load your places into databases, combine with other datasets, or use as input for custom applications. Coordinates are the universal language for geographic data.

Proper backup: An address-only export isn't truly portable - addresses need interpretation. Coordinates are unambiguous and work anywhere.

The Missing Coordinates Problem

When you download your saved places through Google Takeout, the CSV includes:

  • Title (place name)
  • Note (your notes, if any)
  • URL (link to Google Maps)
  • Address

What's conspicuously absent: latitude and longitude. Google's export gives you enough to find a place manually, but not enough to use programmatically. To work with your data in spreadsheets, mapping tools, or any analysis software, you need to geocode it first.

Looking for a different format? If you need your places for a GPS device or navigation app rather than spreadsheet analysis, check out our GPX export guide or KML export guide instead.

How to Export and Geocode Your Places

Step 1: Download from Google Takeout

  1. Go to Google Takeout
  2. Click "Deselect all" at the top
  3. Find and select only "Saved" - this contains your Google Maps saved places
  4. Click "Next step" → "Create export"
  5. Wait for the email, download, and unzip

Inside the "Saved" folder, you'll find CSV files for each of your lists (Starred Places, Want to go, custom lists, etc.).

Step 2: Add Coordinates

The CSV files need geocoding - converting addresses to lat/long coordinates. For most users, a service like Takeout Tools handles this automatically: upload your CSV files, and download them with coordinates added.

If you prefer to do it yourself, you have a couple of options:

Manual lookup: For small lists (under 10-15 places), you can look up each location in Google Maps, right-click → "What's here?", and copy the coordinates into your spreadsheet.

Geocoding APIs: Google Geocoding API, Nominatim (OpenStreetMap), or Mapbox can programmatically geocode addresses. This requires developer knowledge and potentially API costs, but works well for large datasets or recurring needs.

Step 3: Work with Your Data

After geocoding, your CSV will have two new columns: Latitude and Longitude. The structure looks like this:

Title,Address,Notes,URL,Latitude,Longitude
"Central Park","New York, NY","Morning runs","https://maps.google.com/...",40.7829,-73.9654
"Golden Gate Bridge","San Francisco, CA","","https://maps.google.com/...",37.8199,-122.4783

Working with Geocoded CSV Data

In Google Sheets

  1. Import your CSV (File → Import)
  2. For distance calculations between two points, use the Haversine formula or a custom function
  3. Create charts based on coordinate data
  4. Use conditional formatting to highlight places in specific regions

In Excel

  1. Open the CSV directly or import via Data → From Text/CSV
  2. Use Power Map (3D Maps) to visualize your places geographically
  3. Create pivot tables to analyze places by list, region, or other attributes
  4. Export to other formats as needed

In Mapping Tools

Most mapping platforms accept CSV with coordinate columns:

  • Google My Maps: Import → Select file → Choose lat/long columns
  • Tableau: Connect to CSV, Tableau auto-detects geographic fields
  • QGIS: Layer → Add Layer → Add Delimited Text Layer
  • Kepler.gl: Drag and drop your CSV for instant visualization

Pro Tips

  1. Keep the original columns. When geocoding, don't delete the address column - it's useful for verification and for places where geocoding might be slightly off.

  2. Verify outliers. Sort your spreadsheet by latitude and longitude to spot places that geocoded to the wrong location (often visible as coordinates far from the expected range).

  3. Name your columns consistently. Use "Latitude" and "Longitude" (or "lat" and "lng") - these are what most tools expect. "Lat/Long" or "GPS Coordinates" in a single column won't work with most import tools.

  4. Consider precision. Six decimal places in coordinates gives you accuracy to about 10cm - more than enough for saved places. Truncating to 4 decimal places (11m accuracy) keeps files smaller if you have thousands of places.

  5. Export lists separately. If you have multiple lists with different purposes (restaurants, travel destinations, work locations), keep them as separate CSVs for easier analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

What coordinate format do most tools expect?

Decimal degrees (like 40.7829, -73.9654), not degrees-minutes-seconds. This is the standard format and what Google Takeout geocoding tools provide.

Can I add coordinates back to Google Maps?

Not directly. Google Maps doesn't have a bulk import feature for saved places. However, you can import your geocoded CSV into Google My Maps to create a custom map you can access from your Google account.

What if some places fail to geocode?

It happens with unusual place names, closed businesses, or vague addresses. Most geocoding services will flag these. You can manually look up the problematic ones or simply exclude them if they're not important.

How do I handle places in different countries?

Coordinates are universal - they work the same regardless of country. However, if you have places with non-English characters in addresses, make sure your CSV is saved as UTF-8 to preserve special characters.

Can I share my CSV with others?

Yes, a CSV with coordinates is fully portable. Anyone can open it in a spreadsheet or import it into their preferred mapping tool without needing a Google account.

Export CSV with Coordinates

Add lat/long to your saved places for analysis

Try Takeout Tools →

Free Tools

Have geo files you need to convert to CSV? Use our free browser-based converters:

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