What is a .gpx file?
GPS Exchange Format · Data · Topografix · 2002
GPX is an XML format for GPS data: waypoints, routes and recorded tracks. Fitness apps, hiking devices and satnavs use it to share where you have been and where you want to go.
What is a .gpx file used for?
A GPX file lists points with latitude, longitude, elevation and a timestamp, grouped into tracks (where you went) and routes (where to go). Being XML, it is human-readable and opens in any editor.
It is the universal exchange format between GPS devices and apps: export a run from one platform and import it into another. Many mapping sites let you drop a GPX file onto a map to see the trail.
What opens a .gpx file?
The .gpx format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list.
Windows
- GPX viewers
- QGIS
- Garmin BaseCamp
macOS
- GPX viewers
- QGIS
- Garmin BaseCamp
Linux
- QGIS
- GpsPrune
- VS Code
Web
- gpx.studio
- Strava, Komoot import
Open a .gpx file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .gpx. Drop it into the WhatFileType identifier, which reads its signature in your browser without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with GPX viewers or QGIS.
- On Mac, use GPX viewers or QGIS.
- On Linux, try QGIS or GpsPrune.
- Still stuck? Convert the .gpx to KML, which opens more widely.
Why can't I open my .gpx file?
Almost always because no installed app understands GPX. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads. If double-clicking opens the wrong program instead of nothing at all, the file association is set to the wrong app rather than the file being broken.
The other possibility is that the file is not really a .gpx at all. Drop it into the file identifier to check it by its bytes instead of its name. Nothing is uploaded.
How to convert a .gpx file
You can convert a .gpx file to KML, GeoJSON, CSV using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
What is the .gpx file signature (magic bytes)?
A .gpx file starts with the hex bytes 3C 3F 78 6D 6C, which read as <?xml in ASCII. Programs identify GPX by those bytes, not by the filename, so a renamed file still gives itself away.
These are the documented signatures for GPX. For a full breakdown, see the XML file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | ASCII | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3C 3F 78 6D 6C | 0 | <?xml | '<?xml' (GPX is XML) |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .gpx file?
GPX is an XML format for GPS data: waypoints, routes and recorded tracks. Fitness apps, hiking devices and satnavs use it to share where you have been and where you want to go.
How do I open a GPX file?
Upload it to a viewer like gpx.studio, import it into a fitness app such as Strava or Komoot, or open the XML in a text editor.
What is inside a GPX file?
Waypoints, routes and tracks, each a list of points with coordinates, elevation and time. It is plain XML, so you can read it directly.
Can I convert GPX to KML?
Yes. Tools like QGIS or online converters translate between GPX and KML since both describe the same kind of geographic points and paths.
Related formats
Sources
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