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How to Export Google Maps Saved Places as GPX: Complete Guide

Learn how to export your Google Maps saved places as GPX with step-by-step instructions, including solutions for the geocoding challenge.

July 21, 2025

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5 min read

Are you looking to export your Google Maps saved places as GPX for use in GPS devices or outdoor navigation apps? This comprehensive guide will walk you through the entire process, from extracting your data from Google to converting it into the widely-used GPX format.

What is GPX and Why Use It?

GPX (GPS Exchange Format) is an XML schema designed as a common GPS data format for software applications. It's widely used for exchanging waypoints, tracks, and routes between GPS devices and mapping applications. GPX is particularly useful for:

  • Outdoor navigation apps like Gaia GPS, AllTrails, and OsmAnd
  • Handheld GPS devices from brands like Garmin, Magellan, and TomTom
  • Fitness tracking applications
  • Route planning for hiking, cycling, and other outdoor activities
  • Sharing location data with other outdoor enthusiasts

The Challenge: Google Maps Export Limitations

When exporting your data from Google, you'll quickly discover a significant limitation: Google Takeout doesn't provide the actual geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) for your saved places. Instead, it only gives you the addresses and place names, which aren't directly convertible to GPX format.

Step-by-Step Solution

1. Export Your Saved Places from Google Takeout

First, let's get your data out of Google:

  1. Go to Google Takeout at takeout.google.com
  2. Deselect all options (click "Deselect all" at the top)
  3. Scroll down and select only "Saved" - this contains your collections of saved places from Google Maps
  4. Click "Next step"
  5. Choose "Export once" and set the export format to .zip
  6. Click "Create export"
  7. Wait for the export to complete (you'll receive an email)
  8. Download the ZIP file from your email or the Takeout page
  9. Unzip the file and locate the "Saved Places" folder

2. The Geocoding Challenge

At this point, you have your saved places, but they're not in a format that can be converted to GPX. The exported data lacks geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude), which are essential for GPX. This is where geocoding comes in – the process of converting addresses into geographic coordinates.

3. Geocoding Options

You have several options for geocoding:

Option 1: Manual Geocoding (Time-Consuming)

You could manually look up each address and find its coordinates, but this is extremely time-consuming if you have more than a few places.

Option 2: Use a Geocoding API

Developers might use Google's Geocoding API or other services, but this requires programming knowledge and potentially API costs.

Option 3: Use Takeout-Tools.com (Recommended)

The simplest solution is to use Takeout-Tools.com, a service specifically designed to solve this problem:

  1. Go to takeout-tools.com
  2. Upload your exported CSV files from Google Takeout (you can upload multiple at once)
  3. If your CSV headers are not in English, please translate them to match the exact column names (case-sensitive) to avoid parsing errors
  4. The service automatically geocodes all your saved places
  5. Choose GPX as your export format

4. Understanding Your GPX Output

Once you have your GPX file, here's what you can expect:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<gpx version="1.1" creator="Takeout-Tools.com" xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1">
  <metadata>
    <name>Google Maps Saved Places</name>
    <time>2025-08-15T12:00:00Z</time>
  </metadata>
  <wpt lat="latitude" lon="longitude">
    <name>My Favorite Restaurant</name>
    <desc>Best pasta in town</desc>
    <type>Want to go</type>
  </wpt>
  <!-- More waypoints... -->
</gpx>

Each of your saved places becomes a "waypoint" (wpt) with:

  • Latitude and longitude attributes
  • A name containing the place title
  • A description (desc) with your notes
  • A type tag indicating the Google Maps list it belongs to

5. Using Your GPX File

Now that you have your data in GPX format, you can:

  • Import it into outdoor navigation apps like OsmAnd, Gaia GPS, or AllTrails
  • Transfer it to handheld GPS devices
  • Use it for route planning in hiking or cycling apps
  • Share it with friends for group outdoor activities
  • Convert it to other formats as needed

Benefits of Using Takeout-Tools.com for GPX Export

  • Universal Compatibility: Creates GPX files that work with virtually all GPS devices and apps
  • Preserves Categories: Maintains your Google Maps lists as type tags in the GPX structure
  • Includes Descriptions: Keeps all your notes and additional information
  • Batch Processing: Handles hundreds of places in minutes
  • Format Flexibility: Easily convert between GPX, KML, and GeoJSON as needed
  • Privacy-Focused: Your data is processed securely and not stored permanently
  • Free Tier Available: Process a limited number of places without cost

Conclusion: Enhance Your Outdoor Adventures

Exporting your Google Maps saved places as GPX transforms your digital collection of favorite spots into actionable navigation data for your outdoor adventures. Whether you're planning a hiking trip, a cycling route, or simply want to have your important locations available offline, GPX format makes your saved places truly useful in the field.

With your places properly geocoded and formatted as GPX, you'll never have to worry about losing signal or battery life on your phone—your favorite locations will be available directly on your dedicated GPS device or offline navigation app.

Start making the most of your location data today.

Ready to hit the trail? Try our free demo and convert your Google Maps saved places to GPX in just a few clicks.

See Other Export Guides

Need a different format? We've got you covered: