DMS to Decimal Degrees Converter — Free, Bulk, Both Ways

The conversion, in full

Decimal degrees = degrees + minutes ÷ 60 + seconds ÷ 3600, then negated if the hemisphere is South or West.

Worked example: 28°36'50.0"N becomes 28 + 36 ÷ 60 + 50.0 ÷ 3600 = 28 + 0.6 + 0.013889 = 28.613889. And 77°12'32.4"W becomes −(77 + 0.2 + 0.009) = −77.209.

Precision, and how much you need

One second of latitude is about 31 m; one tenth of a second is about 3 m. In decimal degrees, the fourth decimal place is about 11 m and the sixth is about 11 cm. Six decimals is therefore the sensible default — more is false precision on data that came from a handheld GPS, and fewer will visibly move a point. This tool outputs six.

Do not forget DDM

There is a third notation that catches people out: degrees and decimal minutes, written N28°36.833'. It is what appears on aeronautical charts and in most aviation GPS units, and it is neither DMS nor decimal degrees. Converting it as though the 36.833 were minutes-and-seconds gives an answer roughly 800 m wrong. This tool detects all three notations automatically, so you do not have to declare which you are pasting.

Whole lists, not one value at a time

Paste as many lines as you like. Every row is converted and shown in all three notations side by side, and you can copy the entire column in whichever one you need.

Need a file rather than text? Try coordinates to KML. For the full notation reference, see the coordinate converter.