File Conversion
Convert SHP to KML online
Convert Esri Shapefile — the Esri format used by ArcGIS and QGIS — really a set of files (.shp, .dbf, .prj, …) bundled in a .zip — into Keyhole Markup Language (KML), which is the Google Earth and Google Maps format. Drop your SHP file below, KML is already selected as the output, and download the result. Everything runs in your browser and the cloud; you never install anything.
Upload your file
Drag and drop it into the converter below — no account needed to start.
Convert in the cloud
MapGO detects the format and produces your download in seconds.
Download & keep it
Files are deleted automatically after 48 hours.
Files are deleted automatically after 48 hours. Your files are never shared.
Why convert SHP to KML with MapGO?
Most online converters take one file and hand back one file. MapGO is built on a real geospatial engine, so a single upload can do more:
- Several outputs in one upload — tick KML and any other formats you need; every selected format is delivered from the same file.
- Files up to 5 GB — far beyond the browser-based converters that choke past a few hundred megabytes.
- Reproject while you convert — set a source and target EPSG code and the coordinate system is changed during the conversion, no second tool needed.
- Private by default — files are deleted automatically after 48 hours.
SHP vs KML at a glance
| SHP | KML | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical use | Desktop GIS in ArcGIS/QGIS; the long-time industry exchange format | Google Earth / Google My Maps visualisation and sharing placemarks |
| Size on disk | Large — several sidecar files, no compression, 2 GB per-file cap | Verbose XML; the zipped KMZ variant shrinks it considerably |
| Attribute support | Limited: column names max 10 characters, no lists or nesting | Styling-first — data lives in ExtendedData and is easy to lose |
| Software support | Universal in GIS software; web libraries can’t read it directly | Google Earth/Maps and most GIS tools |
| Web-friendliness | Poor — must be converted before use in a web map | Good inside the Google ecosystem; niche elsewhere |
Other ways to convert SHP to KML
You don't need an online tool for this. If you have GDAL installed, one command does it:
ogr2ogr -f "KML" output.kml input.shpIn QGIS (free): open your SHP via Layer → Add Layer, then right-click the layer → Export → Save Features As… and pick KML as the format.
The MapGO converter above is for when you don't want to install anything, need to convert to several formats at once, or are handling files too large for a desktop machine — drop the file and download the result.
SHP to KML: frequently asked questions
Is the SHP to KML converter free?
Yes — new accounts get free conversion credits to start, and every paid plan converts unlimited files within its size limit. There is nothing to install; the whole SHP-to-KML conversion runs in the cloud.
Is my data kept private?
Conversion is fully automated and your file is never shared. Files are deleted automatically after 48 hours. Download your KML result and it's yours to keep.
How do I upload a shapefile?
A shapefile is several files that belong together (.shp, .shx, .dbf, .prj). Zip them into a single .zip and upload that — MapGO reads all the parts and warns you if a required piece (like the .dbf) is missing.
Why are some of my column names cut off after converting a shapefile?
The shapefile’s .dbf table limits column names to 10 characters, so longer names were already truncated when the shapefile was created. The conversion preserves exactly what the shapefile stores — rename the columns in your GIS before exporting if you need the full names back.
Will my layer styling show up in Google Earth?
Geometry and attributes convert; symbology does not, because every format stores styling differently. Google Earth applies its default placemark style — restyle inside Google Earth after opening the file.
Can I convert KML back to SHP?
Yes — use our KML to SHP converter for the reverse direction. MapGO supports conversions in both directions between these formats.