Online KML viewer

Maptinker is a free online KML viewer that opens KMZ too. Drag in a file exported from Google Earth or Google My Maps and see it on a map in your browser — no Google Earth to install. No account and no tracking cookies.

What is KML?

KML came out of Google Earth, and it's still what most people mean by "a map file" from Google's tools. It's an XML format that describes placemarks, paths, and polygons, along with folders, labels, and styling. A KMZ file is a KML zipped up, sometimes with icons or image overlays tucked inside — Maptinker reads either one.

You usually end up with a KML or KMZ after drawing something in Google Earth or Google My Maps, or when someone sends you the file that "opens in Google Earth." Getting it onto a normal web map, without installing anything, is what this is for.

How to open KML or KMZ

  1. Drag it onto the map. A .kml or a zipped .kmz both work — drop the file on the page or click to browse.
  2. See it drawn. Placemarks become points, paths become lines, and polygons come through as filled shapes. The map zooms to fit.
  3. Inspect it. Click a feature to read its data, including the extra fields KML keeps in ExtendedData.

Maptinker also handles the less common corners of the format — multi-geometry placemarks and gx:Track paths from GPS logs — so grouped shapes and recorded tracks come through instead of getting dropped.

What you can do with it

A note on styling

KML can carry its own colors and icons. Maptinker reads the geometry and data, then hands the styling to the app's own tools rather than mirroring every KML style. In practice your placemarks and shapes all arrive; how they're colored is up to you once they're on the map.

Runs in your browser

Everything happens in your browser. There's nothing to install, no account to make, and no tracking cookies, and we never sell or share your data.

Frequently asked questions

Does it open KMZ as well as KML?

Yes. A KMZ is a zipped KML, and Maptinker unzips and reads it the same way. Drop either kind onto the map.

Can I open a file exported from Google Earth or My Maps?

Yes, that's the usual case. Placemarks, paths, and polygons from Google Earth or Google My Maps all render.

Will it keep the colors and icons from the KML?

It reads the geometry and attributes rather than reproducing KML's own styling. Everything shows up on the map, and you restyle it with the app's color and label tools.

Can I convert KML to GeoJSON or a shapefile?

Yes. Load the KML or KMZ, then export to GeoJSON, CSV, a Shapefile ZIP, or FlatGeobuf.

How big a file can I open?

Up to 128MB in the browser, with larger files helped along by a temporary server.

Is it free?

Yes. No account, no trial, no watermark.