Back to all posts

Getting Started with Takeout Tools: Complete Workflow Guide

A step-by-step guide to using Takeout Tools — from exporting your Google Maps saved places via Google Takeout to processing and exporting with coordinates in GPX, KML, GeoJSON, or CSV format.

December 9, 2025

•

6 min read

Ready to unlock the full potential of your Google Maps saved places? This comprehensive getting started guide walks you through the entire Takeout Tools workflow — from downloading your data from Google to exporting geocoded locations in your preferred format.

What You'll Learn

By the end of this guide, you'll know how to:

  • Export your saved places from Google Takeout
  • Upload CSV files to Takeout Tools
  • Process places to fetch coordinates and addresses
  • Export your geocoded data in multiple formats

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

Step 1: Export Your Data from Google Takeout

First, you need to download your saved places from Google:

  1. Visit Google Takeout
  2. Click "Deselect all" at the top of the page
  3. Scroll down and select only "Saved" — this contains all your Google Maps saved places
  4. Click "Next step"
  5. Choose "Export once" and set the format to .zip
  6. Click "Create export"
  7. Wait for the export to complete (Google will email you when it's ready)
  8. Download the ZIP file from your email or the Takeout page
  9. Unzip the file and locate the CSV files in the "Saved" folder

Tip: The export may take a few minutes to several hours depending on how much data you have. Google will send you an email when it's ready.

Step 2: Upload Your CSV Files to Takeout Tools

Now that you have your exported CSV files, it's time to upload them:

  1. Visit Takeout Tools and sign in
  2. Click the upload area or drag and drop your CSV files
  3. You can upload multiple CSV files at once (e.g., "Starred Places.csv", "Want to go.csv", custom lists)
  4. The files will be parsed and your places will appear in the data table

Note: If your CSV headers are not in English, you may need to translate them to match the expected column names to avoid parsing errors.

Step 3: Select and Process Your Places

This is where the magic happens — Takeout Tools fetches the actual coordinates for your saved places.

Selecting Rows

  • Use the checkboxes in the first column to select individual places
  • Use the header checkbox to select all visible places
  • Use the filters to narrow down your selection before processing

Processing Selected Places

  1. Select the places you want to process (up to 50 at a time)
  2. Click the "Process" button in the toolbar
  3. Watch as coordinates and addresses are fetched in real-time
  4. Successfully processed places will have their Address and Coordinates columns populated

Important: You can process up to 50 places per batch. This limit ensures reliable data retrieval and prevents timeouts. If you have more than 50 places, just click Process again after each batch completes — the system will automatically process the next 50. See our 50 Row Limit Explained guide for more details.

What Happens During Processing

  • Each place is geocoded using Google Maps data
  • The Address and Coordinates columns are populated
  • Successfully processed places are automatically saved to your history
  • Your row balance is updated (1 row per successfully processed place)

Step 4: Review Your Results

After processing, you can review your geocoded places:

  • Address column — Shows the full address retrieved from Google Maps
  • Coordinates column — Shows latitude and longitude (displayed as a formatted badge)
  • Error indicator — If a place couldn't be geocoded, you'll see an "Error fetching" message

Using Filters

Click the Filters button to narrow down your view:

  • Filter by list/category
  • Filter by coordinates status (has coordinates / no coordinates)
  • Filter by notes or address

Adjusting Columns

Click the Columns button to show or hide table columns. This helps you focus on the data that matters most to you.

Step 5: Export Your Geocoded Data

Once your places are processed, you can export them in multiple formats:

  1. Select the places you want to export (or leave unselected to export all)
  2. Click the "Export" button
  3. Choose your preferred format:

Available Export Formats

  • CSV — Perfect for spreadsheets and databases. Includes all original data plus coordinates.
  • JSON — Developer-friendly format for custom integrations and APIs.
  • GeoJSON — Standard format for web mapping libraries like Leaflet and Mapbox.
  • KML — Ideal for Google Earth and Google My Maps.
  • GPX — Best for GPS devices and navigation apps like OsmAnd, Organic Maps, and Garmin devices.

Tip: Not sure which format to choose? GPX works great for most navigation apps, KML for Google Earth, and GeoJSON for web development projects.

Understanding Your Row Balance

Takeout Tools uses a row-based system:

  • Each successfully processed place uses 1 row from your balance
  • Already-processed places won't be re-processed
  • Re-uploading the same CSV won't use additional rows for places already in your history

Check your current row balance in the account section of the sidebar.

Quick Tips for Success

  1. Start small — Process a few places first to understand the workflow
  2. Use filters — Narrow down large lists before processing
  3. Check your history — Previously processed places are saved automatically
  4. Export incrementally — You can export after each batch if needed
  5. Choose the right format — Match your export format to your target application

Common Workflows

Migrating to OsmAnd

  1. Process your places in Takeout Tools
  2. Export as GPX
  3. Transfer to your device and import in OsmAnd

See our detailed guide: Transfer Google Maps Saved Places to OsmAnd

Creating a Google Earth Map

  1. Process your places in Takeout Tools
  2. Export as KML
  3. Open the KML file in Google Earth

See our detailed guide: Export Google Maps Saved Places as KML

Building a Custom Map Application

  1. Process your places in Takeout Tools
  2. Export as GeoJSON
  3. Use with Leaflet, Mapbox, or your preferred mapping library

See our detailed guide: Export Google Maps Saved Places as GeoJSON

Next Steps

Now that you understand the basics, explore these related guides:

Get Started Now

Ready to geocode your Google Maps saved places?

Visit Takeout Tools to start processing your places today. Upload your Google Takeout CSV files and have geocoded exports in minutes.

  • Free tier available
  • Multiple export formats
  • Privacy-focused processing
  • No technical knowledge required