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

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

July 22, 2025

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5 min read

Are you looking to export your Google Maps saved places as KML for use in Google Earth or other mapping applications? This comprehensive guide will walk you through the entire process, from extracting your data from Google to converting it into the widely-used KML format.

What is KML and Why Use It?

KML (Keyhole Markup Language) is an XML-based file format used to display geographic data in Earth browsers such as Google Earth and Google Maps. It was originally developed for Google Earth (formerly Keyhole Earth Viewer) and has become an international standard maintained by the Open Geospatial Consortium. KML is particularly useful for:

  • Viewing your places in Google Earth
  • Creating custom map tours and presentations
  • Sharing location data with others
  • Importing into GPS devices that support KML
  • Creating custom map layers in various mapping applications

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 KML 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 KML. The exported data lacks geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude), which are essential for KML. 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 KML as your export format

4. Understanding Your KML Output

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

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<kml xmlns="http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2">
  <Document>
    <name>Google Maps Saved Places</name>
    <Folder>
      <name>Want to go</name>
      <Placemark>
        <name>My Favorite Restaurant</name>
        <description>Best pasta in town</description>
        <Point>
          <coordinates>longitude,latitude,0</coordinates>
        </Point>
      </Placemark>
      <!-- More Placemarks... -->
    </Folder>
    <!-- More Folders... -->
  </Document>
</kml>

Each of your saved places becomes a "Placemark" with:

  • A name containing the place title
  • A description with your notes
  • Folders representing your Google Maps lists or categories
  • Point coordinates with the exact location

5. Using Your KML File

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

  • Open it directly in Google Earth
  • Import it into Google My Maps
  • Use it with GPS devices that support KML
  • Share it with friends and colleagues
  • Convert it to other formats as needed

Benefits of Using Takeout-Tools.com for KML Export

  • Google Earth Compatible: Creates KML files that work perfectly with Google Earth
  • Preserves Categories: Maintains your Google Maps lists as folders in the KML structure
  • Includes Descriptions: Keeps all your notes and additional information
  • Batch Processing: Handles hundreds of places in minutes
  • Format Flexibility: Easily convert between KML, GeoJSON, and GPX 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: Visualize Your Favorite Places in Google Earth

Converting your Google Maps saved places to KML format gives you the freedom to explore your favorite locations in powerful 3D visualization tools like Google Earth. Create virtual tours of places you've visited, plan your next trip with custom map layers, or share your curated collection of must-visit spots with friends and family.

The KML format's rich visualization capabilities let you customize icons, add descriptions, and organize your places into meaningful categories—all features that make your personal map data more useful and engaging.

Take control of your location data today. Try our free demo and transform your Google Maps saved places into interactive KML files in seconds.

Ready to get started? Try our free demo and convert your Google Maps saved places to KML in just a few clicks.

See Other Export Guides

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