π GPS Coordinates Converter
Decimal degrees β degrees-minutes-seconds, with Google Maps-ready output.
Converted coordinates
How to Use This GPS Converter
Coordinates come in two common formats. Decimal degrees (40.7128, -74.0060) are what Google Maps and most APIs use. Degrees-minutes-seconds (40Β° 42β² 46β³ N, 74Β° 0β² 22β³ W) is the traditional format on nautical charts, property deeds, and older GPS units. Pick a direction, enter the values, and get both formats plus a copy-ready string for Google Maps.
Choose Decimal to DMS or DMS to Decimal with the radio buttons.
Enter latitude (-90 to 90) and longitude (-180 to 180). For DMS mode, enter degrees, minutes, seconds, and the hemisphere.
Copy the Google Maps-ready string and paste it into the Maps search bar.
Understanding the Formats
Decimal degrees express a coordinate as a single signed number. Positive latitude is north, negative is south; positive longitude is east, negative is west. New York City is 40.7128, -74.0060. This format is compact and computation-friendly, which is why software prefers it.
DMS splits each degree into 60 minutes and each minute into 60 seconds, a sexagesimal system inherited from Babylonian astronomy. The same New York location is 40Β° 42β² 46β³ N, 74Β° 0β² 22β³ W. Mariners, pilots, and surveyors often prefer DMS because it matches charts and instruments.
The Conversion Math
To convert 40Β° 42β² 46β³ N: 40 + 42/60 + 46/3600 = 40 + 0.7 + 0.0128 = 40.7128. Going back: 0.7128 Γ 60 = 42.768 minutes, take 42, then 0.768 Γ 60 = 46.08 seconds. Rounding to whole seconds gives 40Β° 42β² 46β³, matching the original within a meter.
Worked Example
A property deed lists a corner at 34Β° 3β² 8β³ N, 118Β° 14β² 37β³ W (downtown Los Angeles). Convert: latitude = 34 + 3/60 + 8/3600 = 34.0522; longitude = β(118 + 14/60 + 37/3600) = β118.2436. Paste "34.0522, -118.2436" into Google Maps to see the exact spot.
Precision Notes
Five decimal places in decimal degrees locate you within about a meter. Whole arc-seconds in DMS are about 31 meters of latitude. For driving directions, four decimals are plenty; for surveying or geocaching, use five or six. Always double-check hemisphere signs: a missing minus on longitude puts you in the wrong hemisphere entirely.
Coordinate Formats Around the World
Different industries standardized on different formats long before GPS existed. Aviation uses degrees and decimal minutes (40Β° 42.77β² N), a hybrid you will see on sectional charts and in flight management systems. The military uses UTM and MGRS grid coordinates instead of latitude and longitude entirely, which is why this converter sticks to the two civilian standards. Geocaching split the difference: most cache pages show both decimal and DMS so hunters can use whatever their device prefers.
When copying coordinates between systems, watch for the prime symbols: Β° for degrees, β² (prime) for minutes, and β³ (double prime) for seconds. Typing a plain apostrophe usually works in search boxes, but formal documents and deed descriptions use the proper symbols. This tool outputs the typographically correct characters so your pasted coordinates look professional everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert DMS to decimal degrees?
Use decimal = degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600, then make it negative for South latitude or West longitude. For 40Β° 42β² 46β³ N: 40 + 0.7 + 0.0128 = 40.7128.
What format does Google Maps use?
Google Maps accepts decimal degrees like 40.7128, -74.0060 pasted directly into search. It also understands DMS typed as 40Β°42'46"N 74Β°0'22"W, but decimal is more reliable.
What do the N, S, E, W letters mean in coordinates?
They are hemispheres: N/S for latitude (north/south of the equator), E/W for longitude (east/west of the prime meridian). In decimal format, S and W become negative numbers.
How accurate is DMS compared to decimal?
One arc-second is about 31 meters of latitude, so whole-second DMS is good to roughly 30 meters. Five decimal places in decimal degrees give about 1-meter precision, better for exact locations.
Why is longitude sometimes over 180?
It should not be: valid longitude runs from -180 to +180. Values like 190Β° usually mean someone forgot to wrap around; subtract 360 to get the equivalent -170Β° location.