How to open a .kml file
Keyhole Markup Language · Geographic data
A .kml file holds map data: points, paths and shapes with coordinates. Google Earth opens it, Google My Maps imports it in a browser, and because it is XML you can read it in any text editor.
What a .kml file actually is
KML was created for Google Earth and is now an open OGC standard. It is XML, so a placemark is literally a tag with a longitude and latitude inside, readable without any software.
It is the usual format for GPS tracks, delivery routes, property boundaries and anything else that needs to be drawn on a map and passed to someone else.
Why it will not open
Nothing is associated with .kml unless you installed Google Earth. The file is not broken, and if you only need the coordinates a text editor gives them to you immediately.
Step by step
Windows
- 01Install Google Earth Pro for desktop, which is free, and double-click the file.
- 02Without installing anything: go to Google My Maps, create a map, and use Import to upload the .kml.
- 03To read the raw coordinates, right-click and open it in Notepad or VS Code. It is XML with readable tags.
- 04For GIS work, QGIS is free and imports KML as a proper layer you can analyse.
macOS
- 01Google Earth Pro has a macOS build.
- 02Google My Maps works in any browser with nothing installed.
- 03To inspect the XML, open it in TextEdit with Format set to Plain Text.
What usually goes wrong
KMZ is a zipped KML
If you have a .kmz, it is a ZIP containing a .kml plus any images or icons it references. Rename a copy to .zip and extract it to get at the KML inside.
Programs that open .kml
Our pick, in order. Every one links to the publisher's official download URL and the SHA-256 hash of the installer, so you can check the file before you run it.
Common questions
- How do I open a KML file without Google Earth?
- Import it into Google My Maps in a browser, which needs nothing installed. QGIS also opens KML as a GIS layer, and any text editor shows the raw coordinates because KML is XML.
- What is the difference between KML and KMZ?
- KML is the plain XML file. KMZ is that same file zipped, usually bundled with icons and images it references. Renaming a KMZ to .zip and extracting it gives you the KML.