How Do You Generate GPX Files From Google Maps?
Jaseel S6 min read
In this article 8 sections
Generating GPX files from Google Maps is an easy way to get your routes for planning itineraries, creating content, and many other purposes.
Imagine you’re traveling from India to Dubai and want to share your exact travel route on social media through an engaging video. For this, a GPX file of your precise travel route is necessary.
This will guide you in generating GPX files of your route, allowing you to create videos using the actual routes you took.
What are GPX files? What is the purpose of generating a GPX file?
GPX files are digital maps of your journey that save the path you took, including where you started, where you stopped, and the paths you travelled.
And here is why someone wants to generate GPX files,
- To plan a route before a trip and follow it using a GPS device or app.
- To track a journey you’ve already experienced.
- To share routes with friends, clients, or others.
- To create animated travel videos of your routes using Travel Animator.
Use cases of GPX files.
- One of the best uses for GPX is to upload the GPX files into Travel Animator Apps. You can animate your routes and trips into engaging and professional videos for sharing on social media.
- Whether you are exploring new cities or hiking, you can use GPX files with apps to follow pre-planned routes.
- You can record your routes and save them as travel memories.
- It helps to share routes if you’re part of a travel team. You can easily share your routes so they can know the exact route.
How to generate GPX files? - a step-by-step procedure
- Open Google Maps on your device.
- Use the search bar to choose the destination and add multiple destinations.
- Once your route is complete, copy the full URL to your destinations from Google Maps.
- Convert this link to a GPX file using GPX converters like https://mapstogpx.com, https://gpx.studio, or https://www.gpsvisualizer.com, among others.
- Upload the link to any one of the sites and tap “convert” or “Download GPX” to get your GPX file for downloading to your device.
- Keep the downloaded file on your devices or Claude and use the GPX files for different purposes.
Getting a Clean Route Out of Google Maps
The GPX file can only be as good as the directions you build, so a couple of minutes here saves a lot of fixing later.
- Use Directions, not a single pin. A link to one place has no route in it. Start from Directions and add each stop with Add stop.
- Pick the right travel mode. Driving, walking and cycling give different paths. If you can’t see Add stop, switch to driving; multi-stop directions aren’t available in every mode.
- Match the roads you actually took. Google Maps suggests its own fastest route. On desktop you can drag the blue line onto the road you used, or add an extra stop in a town you passed through to pull the route that way.
- Split very long trips. Google Maps limits how many stops one set of directions can hold. For a 10-day Rajasthan loop, make one route per leg and convert each.
If a converter refuses a shortened share link, open it in your browser first and copy the full address from the address bar.
How do you create travel animator videos using GPX files?
- Open the Travel Animator app and start creating your travel video.
- Tap the “route menu” on the top right of the screen.
- Click the “Add GPX” button and choose the file that you have already saved on your device.
- You can see your travel routes on the screen with each destination and curve.
- Customize the routes as you want and add elements like travel models, images, texts, and map styles.
- Choose the video quality and export the travel animation video to your device.
- You can directly share the videos on social media to showcase your travel experiences.
When You Don't Need a GPX File at All
For a planned Google Maps route, converting to GPX is now optional. In TravelAnimator, open the route menu, tap Paste Google Maps Link, paste your route and tap Plot Route. You can also share the route straight from Google Maps using its Share menu. If the app offers an alternate route, you can pick the one that matches your trip.
GPX still earns its place in a few cases: you want one file to reuse in a hiking or GPS app, you recorded the trip on a tracker, or your route lives in Google My Maps, which exports KML rather than a shareable directions link. Our GPX vs Google Maps comparison goes through which import suits which video.
On an iPhone and planning in Apple Maps instead? The steps there are different, so see how to generate GPX files from Apple Maps.
Do you want to create your travel videos with real routes?
Travel Animator offers an advanced feature that allows you to upload real routes using GPX files to create travel animation videos using the actual routes.
Using Google Maps and GPX converting platforms, you can easily generate GPX files of the real routes. Along with this, using Travel Animator’s premium features gives you perfect and professional travel content in 4K quality. Enjoy the Travel Animator Premium for showcasing your travel content.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are GPX files? What is the purpose of generating a GPX file?
GPX files are digital maps of your journey that save the path you took, including where you started, where you stopped, and the paths you travelled. And here is why someone wants to generate GPX files, To plan a route before a trip and follow it using a GPS device or app.
How do you create travel animator videos using GPX files?
Open the Travel Animator app and start creating your travel video. Tap the “route menu” on the top right of the screen. Click the “Add GPX” button and choose the file that you have already saved on your device. You can see your travel routes on the screen with each destination and curve. Customize the routes as you want and add elements like travel models, images, texts, and map styles. Choose the video quality and export the travel animation video to your device. You can directly share the videos on social media to showcase your travel experiences.
Do I need to convert every Google Maps route to GPX?
No. For a supported Google Maps route link, you can use TravelAnimator’s direct Google Maps link import. Use a GPX file when you already have recorded track data or need that file-based workflow.
Why does my Google Maps GPX take different roads than I drove?
The file follows the route Google Maps suggested, not your actual drive. Before copying the link, drag the route line on desktop Google Maps or add a stop in a town you passed through. Then convert again, or paste the corrected link directly into TravelAnimator and check the preview.
Can I make a GPX file from Google Maps on my phone?
Yes. Build the directions in the Google Maps app, copy the link from the Share button, and paste it into a converter website in your phone’s browser. Download the GPX, then pick it with Add GPX in TravelAnimator. For many routes it’s faster to paste the link straight into the app.
How do I convert a Google My Maps route to GPX?
Google My Maps exports KML or KMZ files, not directions links. Export the layer as KML, convert it to GPX with a tool like GPS Visualizer, then import the file with Add GPX in TravelAnimator. Check the plotted route against your map before adding models and photos.
