Convert KML to KMZ
A compressed KMZ for Google Earth, made in your browser. Free, and the file never leaves your tab.
or drop KML here
How the conversion works
- 1
Choose a .kml file, drop it here, or paste the KML text.
- 2
The page reads the placemarks and writes them back as doc.kml inside a zip archive, which is what a KMZ is. Folders, ExtendedData and timestamps are kept; a KML is typically five to ten times smaller once zipped.
- 3
Download the .kmz and open it in Google Earth Pro, Google Earth on the web or on a phone.
What the KMZ contains
One entry, doc.kml, which is all Google Earth needs.
| In the KML | In the KMZ |
|---|---|
| Placemark, Folder | Kept, with the folder tree. |
| Point, LineString, Polygon, MultiGeometry | Kept as they are, altitude included. |
| ExtendedData, TimeStamp | Kept. |
| Style, StyleMap | Not carried over. The KMZ takes Google Earth's defaults. |
What it does not do
- Styles are not carried over, so a KML with custom colours comes out with the default pin and line.
- No icons or overlay images can be added: a KMZ made here holds the doc.kml only.
- NetworkLink elements are not followed.
- Files up to 50 MB of KML text.
Questions people ask
- Does my KML get uploaded?
- No. The zip is built in your browser tab. Nothing is sent.
- Why make a KMZ at all?
- It is smaller to email and to load on a phone, and Google Earth mobile opens KMZ links more reliably than raw KML.
- Can I zip the KML myself?
- Yes: name the file doc.kml, zip it, rename the zip to .kmz. This page does the same and also normalises the KML on the way.
- My KML had custom icons. Are they in the KMZ?
- No. Styles and icon references are dropped. Keep your original file if the look matters.
- Does it work with a Google My Maps export?
- Yes. My Maps exports KML or KMZ; if you have the KML, this page gives you the KMZ.
Other free tools
- KMZ to KML
- KML to CSV
- KML to GeoJSON
- KML to Shapefile
- Shapefile to KMZ
- CSV to KMZ
- KML to GPX
- GPX to KMZ
- CSV to KML
- GeoJSON to KML
- Shapefile to GeoJSON
- GeoJSON to Shapefile
- Shapefile to KML
- CSV to Shapefile
- Shapefile to CSV
- CSV to GeoJSON
- GeoJSON to CSV
- KMZ to Shapefile
- KMZ to CSV
- GPX to KML
- KMZ to GPX
- Merge GPX
- Coordinate converter
- All free tools
Next, open it in QGIS
Every one of these files loads in QGIS in one dialog. Once the points or polygons sit on your imagery, the two TerraLab plugins take over: AI Segmentation detects the objects the file is missing, AI Edit renders a project on the map.