If you have ever exported a drive, a hike, or a bike ride, you have probably ended up with a file ending in .gpx and wondered what to do with it. GPX is the closest thing the GPS world has to a universal language. Almost every tracking app, sat-nav, and mapping tool can read or write it. This guide explains what a GPX file actually contains, how to open one, and how to convert it to other formats.
What GPX Stands For
GPX is short for GPS Exchange Format. It is an open, text-based standard built on XML, which means a GPX file is really just structured plain text. You can open one in any text editor and read it, though it is much easier to look at on a map. Because it is an open standard rather than a proprietary format, GPX is the common ground that lets a route recorded in one app open cleanly in another.
What Is Inside a GPX File
A GPX file can hold three main kinds of data, and most files contain one or two of them:
- Tracks (trk). A recorded breadcrumb trail of where you actually went, stored as a long sequence of points. This is what your app saves when you record a drive.
- Routes (rte). A planned path made of waypoints, describing where you intend to go rather than where you have been.
- Waypoints (wpt). Individual marked points of interest, like a viewpoint, a fuel stop, or a meeting spot.
Each point carries a latitude and longitude. Many also include elevation, a timestamp, and sometimes extra data like speed or heart rate stored in extensions. Those timestamps are what let an app reconstruct not just the shape of your route but how fast you were moving along it.
How to Open and View a GPX File
You have several options depending on how much detail you want.
In a browser, instantly
The quickest way to see a GPX file is to drop it into an online viewer. Our free GPX viewer renders the track on a map directly in your browser, with no upload to a server and no account required. It is the fastest way to confirm a file contains what you expect.
In a GPS or driving app
Most tracking apps can import GPX. Opening the file inside a GPS speedometer or driving app lets you do more than just look at the line. You can replay the drive, see a speed-colored route, and read distance and timing stats reconstructed from the embedded timestamps.
In desktop mapping software
Tools like Google Earth and many free desktop mapping programs import GPX for detailed analysis, elevation profiles, and editing.
How to Convert a GPX File
Sometimes you need a different format. The most common conversions are:
- GPX to KML for Google Earth and Google Maps.
- GPX to CSV when you want to analyse points in a spreadsheet.
- GPX to GeoJSON for web mapping and developer use.
Online converters handle these in seconds. If your data matters, prefer a tool that processes the file in your browser rather than uploading it, since a GPX track can reveal where you live and travel.
A Note on Privacy
Because a GPX file is plain text with precise coordinates and timestamps, it is sensitive. Before you share or upload one, remember that the first and last points usually sit at your home or workplace. Trim those points, or record using privacy zones that clip them automatically. Treat a raw GPX file the way you would treat a screenshot of your address.
When You Will Actually Use GPX
For most drivers, GPX matters in a few practical moments. You want to export a memorable drive to archive it or share it with a friend who uses a different app. You want to import a planned scenic route someone else recorded so you can follow it. Or you want to feed a recorded track into another tool for analysis. In all three cases, GPX is the bridge.
The takeaway is simple. A GPX file is an open, readable record of a path made of timestamped coordinates. To look at one quickly, drop it into a browser-based viewer. To do more with it, import it into a driving app. And whenever you share one, mind the start and end points.