Splügen Pass to Italy 🇮🇹
The Splügen Pass connects Switzerland and Italy, linking Splügen with Chiavenna. At 2,113 meters (6,929 feet), it provides a direct route through the Alps, offering impressive views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.
Free KML to KMZ converter online Zip a KML file to KMZ in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, nothing is rewritten.
Convert KML to KMZ
in your browser.
Drop a .kml file here to convert it to KMZ. The file is zipped as doc.kml, exactly as it is, so styles, folders and descriptions all come along. The result is usually a fifth of the size or less.
The page also draws the track and measures it, so you can see what the file holds before you send it on.
Kilometers0km0km
Miles0mi0mi
Free converterKML to KMZ01
How to convert a KML file to KMZ online
Four steps. The last one is optional.
Step 1
Pick the KML file
Drag the .kml onto this page or click Select KML file. Exports from Google Earth, Google My Maps, QGIS and most GIS tools work.
Step 2
Check the outline
The page draws the paths in the file, measures them and names the start and end point.
Step 3
Download the KMZ file
Click Download KMZ file. The KML is zipped on your device and the KMZ is saved to your downloads folder.
Step 4
Optional: see it in 3D
Open 3D preview shows the same route on satellite terrain in the AvoMap editor, where you can render a video of it.
02
What the KML to KMZ conversion keeps
Everything. A KMZ is a zip archive with the KML inside, and this page does not rewrite the KML before zipping it.
| Paths, placemarks, polygons | Unchanged. The KML goes into the archive byte for byte, as doc.kml. |
|---|---|
| Styles, icons, colours, folders | Unchanged in the text. |
| Icons and images the KML refers to | Not packed. Icons with a web address keep working. Icons that live next to the KML on your disk will not be in the KMZ; add them to the archive yourself if you need them. |
| Elevation and timestamps | Unchanged, since the content is not touched. |
| File size | A fraction of the KML. XML compresses well; a 5 MB KML typically ends up under 1 MB. |
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KML to KMZ for Google Earth, sharing and My Maps
Where the KML files come from and where the KMZ file goes.
Google Earth on a phone
Google Earth for Android and iOS opens a KMZ straight from mail, a chat or the Files app. Convert the KML here and send the KMZ, and the person on the other end taps it once.
Shrinking a large KML
Big exports from QGIS or Google Earth Pro run to tens of megabytes as KML. The same content as KMZ is a fraction of that, which matters when a service refuses the upload for size.
Google My Maps
My Maps imports KML and KMZ alike. Use the KMZ when the KML is over the import size limit; it counts the compressed size.
Google Earth Pro
File, Open takes either format. Pro saves KMZ by default, so this page is mostly for KML files that came from somewhere else and need to travel as one small file.
04
KML vs KMZ
What a KML file and a KMZ file each hold, and which one the app you are heading for expects.
What is a KML file?
KML is Google Earth's file format. Besides lines and points it stores how things look: icons, line colours, folders, pop-up descriptions with HTML, even camera positions for a fly-through. Google Earth, Google My Maps, QGIS and ArcGIS read it. Sports apps mostly don't.
What is a KMZ file?
A KMZ is a KML file zipped up, sometimes together with the icons and images it refers to. Google Earth Pro saves as KMZ by default. Rename one to .zip and you'll find a doc.kml inside. Anything that reads KML usually reads KMZ too, but a text editor can't.
| KML | KMZ | |
|---|---|---|
| On disk | Plain XML text | Zip archive, usually named doc.kml inside |
| Size | Larger | Small. XML zips down to a fraction of its size |
| Can bundle icons and images | No, only by web URL | Yes |
| Readable in a text editor | Yes | No |
| Opens in | Google Earth, My Maps, GIS tools, web map libraries, text editors | Google Earth, My Maps, most GIS tools |
Other free GPS file tools
Same idea on every page: the file is read in your browser and nothing is uploaded unless you open the 3D preview.
KML to GPX converter
KML in, GPX out, in your browser.
KMZ to GPX converter
KMZ in, GPX out, in your browser.
GPX to KML converter
GPX in, KML out, in your browser.
GPX to KMZ converter
GPX in, KMZ out, in your browser.
KMZ to KML converter
KMZ in, KML out, in your browser.
KML to SHP converter
KML in, a zipped shapefile out, for QGIS and ArcGIS.
KMZ to SHP converter
KMZ in, a zipped shapefile out, for QGIS and ArcGIS.
SHP to KML converter
Drop a zipped shapefile, get a KML for Google Earth.
GPX viewer
Open a GPX and see the track, its length and where it starts and ends.
KML viewer
Open a KML or KMZ and see what is inside before you use it elsewhere.
KMZ viewer
Unzip a KMZ in the browser and see the paths and placemarks it holds.
GeoJSON viewer
Open a GeoJSON file and see its features drawn and measured.
FIT file viewer
Open a Garmin, Wahoo or COROS .fit file, see the ride or run, and download it as GPX.
Animate the KML file as a 3D map video in the AvoMap editor
The converter shows you the outline. The editor puts the same track on satellite terrain, flies a camera along it and exports an MP4 in up to 4K.
The editor is free to use. You pay per exported video, and that pays for the free tools on this site.
Videos Made With AvoMap
Explore the full range of AvoMap features in action with these videos, all created using the easy-to-use editor.
Splügen Pass to Italy 🇮🇹
The Splügen Pass connects Switzerland and Italy, linking Splügen with Chiavenna. At 2,113 meters (6,929 feet), it provides a direct route through the Alps, offering impressive views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.
Ride Through The Desert — Chile
Taking a motorcycle trip through the Chilean desert, starting from Combarbala and heading to La Serena on the coast.
UTMB Eiger Ultra 2024
With a distance of 101 km and an elevation gain of 6,700 meters, the Eiger Ultra 101 is a tough challenge for even the most seasoned trail runners. The route includes stunning viewpoints such as Grosse Scheidegg, First, Bachalpsee, Berghotel Faulhorn, Schynige Platte, Wengen, Männlichen, and the base of the legendary Eiger North Face.
Otter Trail — South Africa
The Otter Trail is a five-day hiking route in South Africa, starting at Storms River Mouth Rest Camp and finishing at the small resort village of Natures Valley in the de Vasselot section of the park.
Kepler Track — New Zealand
The Kepler Track is one of New Zealand's Great Walks, renowned for its stunning natural beauty and varied landscapes. It's a 60-kilometer (37-mile) circular hiking trail located in Fiordland National Park on the South Island of New Zealand. The track typically takes around 3 to 4 days to complete and passes through diverse terrain, including beech forests, alpine meadows, and alongside pristine lakes and rivers.
170 Miles Around Lake Tahoe
The Tahoe Rim Trail is a 170-mile long hiking path encircling the Lake Tahoe Basin in the Sierra Nevada, traversing parts of Nevada and California in the United States. It spans elevations from 6,223 feet at Lake Tahoe's outlet to 10,338 feet at Nevada's Relay Peak.
The Grand Raid — La Reunion
The Grand Raid de la Réunion, known as La diagonale des fous, is an ultramarathon held annually in October on Réunion island, a French overseas department located in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and Mauritius.
Frankfurt To Dubai In 30 Seconds
As a break from my usual routine, I decided to embark on an epic journey by motorbike from Frankfurt to Dubai. It took me 62 days to complete the trip, and along the way I crossed through 11 different countries including France, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia and Iran.
Zugspitze Ultra — Germany
The Zugspitz Ultratrail stands as Germany's premier trail running event. Drawing over 4400 participants, it features six distinct routes spanning from 16 to 106 kilometers in length.
San Francisco Marathon
The San Francisco Marathon is a renowned race featuring a full marathon, half marathon, and 5K. Held in late July, it navigates iconic landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf. The hilly terrain presents a challenge, but the stunning views and community support make it memorable.
Frequently asked questions
Is the KML to KMZ converter free?
Yes. Converting, the outline and the 3D preview cost nothing, and there is no account to make. AvoMap charges for exported videos, and that pays for the free tools.
Is my KML file uploaded when I convert it?
No. The file is read and converted in your browser. Two things do leave your device: the coordinates of the first and last point, which are looked up to show place names, and the whole route if you click Open 3D preview. The download itself stays on your device.
Is a KMZ just a zipped KML?
Yes. A KMZ is a zip archive that holds a KML, usually named doc.kml, and sometimes an images folder next to it. This page zips your KML as doc.kml and nothing else.
Does it change anything in the file?
No. The KML inside the archive is byte for byte the file you dropped. Coordinates, styles, folders and descriptions are untouched.
How much smaller does the file get?
It depends on the content, but XML compresses well. Expect the KMZ to be a fifth of the KML or less; a KML that is mostly coordinates shrinks the most.
Why are my custom icons missing in the KMZ?
Only the KML is packed. If the KML points to icons by a relative path, those files are not included, and Google Earth shows the default pin instead. Icons with a web address keep working. To bundle local icons, rename the KMZ to .zip, add the files, and rename it back.
Can I go the other way, KMZ to KML?
Yes, with the KMZ to KML converter. It unzips the archive and hands you the KML unchanged.
Can I convert the KML to GPX instead?
Yes, with the KML to GPX converter. That one rewrites the content, because GPX cannot hold styles or polygons.
Is there a KML to KMZ app for my phone?
You don't need one. This page is the app: open it in the browser on an iPhone or Android phone, pick the file from your files app, and the KMZ lands in your downloads. Nothing to install.