KMZ to KML Converter: Unzip or Rebuild, No Upload
Convert KMZ to KML in your browser: extract the KML exactly as stored, or rebuild a clean file other apps import. KML to KMZ works too. No upload.
Drop your KMZ file
GPX, KML, KMZ and GeoJSON are all accepted, and several files at once merge into one. The file is read in your browser and never uploaded, which matters with GPS tracks: most of them start at someone's front door.
Drop .gpx, .kml, .kmz or .geojson files here, or
Convert to
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A KMZ is a KML file that has been zipped, usually together with the icons and pictures it uses. This KMZ to KML converter gets the KML out in your browser, without uploading anything, in one of two ways: exactly as stored, or rebuilt as a clean KML that other software imports reliably.
Two ways to get the KML
| Extract the KML unchanged | Download .kml (rebuilt) | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | The KML inside the KMZ, as it was written | A fresh KML written from every placemark |
| Kept | Everything: folders, styles, icon references, overlays, network links | Points, lines, areas, names, descriptions, data fields and colours |
| Dropped | Nothing | Folders, custom icons, image overlays, network links |
| Use it when | The KML goes back into Google Earth, or you want to edit it by hand | The KML is going into software that chokes on Google's extensions, or you want a small, tidy file |
What is inside a KMZ
A KMZ is an ordinary zip archive. Rename one to .zip and open it, and you will usually find a file called doc.kml and a folder of images, often named files, holding custom icons and overlay pictures. Google Earth reads the first KML in the archive, and doc.kml is the conventional name. This converter looks for doc.kml first and falls back to the first .kml it finds at any depth.
That layout is also why icons can go missing after extraction. The KML refers to something like files/icon.png relative to itself, and outside the zip that path leads nowhere. Keep the extracted KML next to the extracted folder, or keep using the KMZ in Google Earth.
When you need KML and not KMZ
- Software that only imports plain KML, such as some web uploaders, older GPS desktop tools and many scripts.
- Editing by hand or comparing versions in Git: KML is text, a KMZ is a zip.
- Converting onwards: the Convert to buttons above turn the same file into GPX, GeoJSON, CSV or Excel directly.
The reverse: KML to KMZ
Drop a .kml and choose KMZ under Convert to. The KML is zipped as doc.kml, which is what Google Earth expects. Coordinate text compresses well: a 20,000-point track came out about 3 times smaller as a KMZ, and about 7 times smaller with timestamps, because the repeated tags squeeze down to almost nothing.
Worked example
Try an example loads a real KMZ of a Triund trail sketch. The summary shows 2 waypoints, 1 timed track, 1 area and 2.16 km of trail. Extract the KML unchanged gives you the doc.kml from inside the zip as it was written, with its gx:Track timestamps intact. Download .kml gives a rebuilt file with the same four placemarks.
Converting onwards? KML to GPX and KML to GeoJSON accept KMZ files too, and KML to CSV lists every coordinate in a table.
How to use the KMZ to KML Converter
Takes about a minute. No signup, no download, your data stays in your browser.
- 1Open the tool. Scroll up to the KMZ to KML Converter above — it loads instantly in your browser, no install needed.
- 2Enter your values. The fields come pre-filled with realistic defaults so you can see how it works — replace them with your own numbers.
- 3Read the result. The output updates instantly. Copy or share it — nothing is uploaded to a server, everything stays on your device.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about the KMZ to KML Converter.
What is the difference between KMZ and KML?
KML is a text file of placemarks, lines and areas. KMZ is the same KML compressed into a zip archive, usually together with the icons and images it uses. Google Earth opens both; many other programs only take KML.
Can I just rename the .kmz file to .zip?
Yes, and then unzip it to find doc.kml. This page saves those steps, works on a phone where unzipping is awkward, finds the KML even when it is not named doc.kml, and can convert it onwards to GPX or GeoJSON in the same place.
Why are my custom icons missing after converting?
The icons live inside the KMZ, and the KML only points at them by a relative path such as files/icon.png. Outside the zip that path leads nowhere. Keep the unzipped images next to the KML, or keep using the KMZ where icons matter.
Can it convert KML back to KMZ?
Yes. Drop a .kml file and choose KMZ under Convert to. The KML is zipped as doc.kml, and the result is typically a third of the size or smaller.
Is the KMZ uploaded to a server?
No. The zip is opened and the KML extracted by JavaScript in your browser. The file stays on your device.
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