How to open a GPX file: on a computer, phone, navigator and in QGIS

You came across a .gpx file — with a run track, a hiking route or fishing spots — and it's unclear what it is and how to open it. Let's keep it simple: what GPX is, how to open it on a computer, in a navigator and in GIS, how to build your own route, and how to download any area straight to GPX.

What GPX is

GPX (GPS Exchange Format) is an open text-based XML format for exchanging geographic data between navigators, apps and services. A GPX file can hold three kinds of data:

• tracks — a recorded path, a polyline of many points with coordinates and time (your run or drive);
• routes — a planned path of waypoints the navigator guides you along;
• waypoints — individual marks: a campsite, a spring, a summit, a start point.

Because it's plain XML text, GPX is human-readable and opens almost everywhere.

How to open GPX

Navigators and trackers. GPX is the native format for Garmin, and is also supported by Navitel, OsmAnd, Locus Map, Strava, Komoot and most outdoor apps. Usually it's enough to copy the file to the device's memory or import it in the app.

QGIS and GIS. To see the track on a map and work with it: Layer → Add Layer → Add Vector Layer → select the .gpx. QGIS offers sub-layers (waypoints, routes, tracks) — add the one you need.

Text editor. Since GPX is XML, you can open it in Notepad, VS Code or any editor and read the coordinates by hand. Handy for a quick check or a small edit.

Online viewers. There are sites where you just drag a GPX into the window and see the track on a map — convenient if you don't want to install anything.

A technical breakdown of the GPX structure and working with tracks is in GPX: a format deep dive and GPX GPS tracks: a guide.

How to build a route in GPX

You can assemble your own GPX in several ways:

• in a planner app (Komoot, BRouTe, OsmAnd, Garmin BaseCamp) — place points on the map and it builds the route and exports to .gpx;
• in QGIS — draw a line/points and save the layer as GPX;
• by hand — for simple cases you can write the XML text with waypoint coordinates, but that's rarely needed.

How to download an area straight to GPX

If you need not someone else's track but the terrain data for a navigator or tracker — don't gather it piece by piece. Select the area you need and download it straight to GPX: OpenStreetMap roads, trails and points go into a file ready to load into Garmin, Navitel, OsmAnd or any app that understands GPX. It's free and takes seconds.

If you're torn between GPX and KML for your task, the difference is covered in GPX vs KML.

In short

• GPX (GPS Exchange Format) is an open XML for tracks, routes and waypoints.
• It opens in navigators (Garmin, Navitel, OsmAnd), QGIS, a text editor and online viewers.
• If you need area data for a navigator — download it straight to GPX.