GPX on iPhone
& Android.

Before you start: pick an app that reads GPX

Phone operating systems don't include a GPX viewer, and the big consumer map apps are built around their own routing, not imported tracks. For following a trail you want an outdoor app that imports GPX and can show your live position on the line. Widely used options include OsmAnd and Organic Maps (both available on iOS and Android), Gaia GPS and similar hiking or overlanding apps. Most can import a GPX track and keep it available offline; check the specific app's help pages for its menus, because they change between versions.

Also check what's inside your file. A GPX may contain a track, a route, waypoints or a mix (see What is a GPX file?). Some apps import tracks and routes into different lists, so if nothing appears on the map, look in both.

Import a GPX file on iPhone

1. 1

   Save the file to Files

   If the GPX came by email or chat, tap the attachment, tap the share icon and choose Save to Files. Browser downloads land in Files → Downloads automatically.

2. 2

   Open it in Files

   Open the Files app, find the .gpx file and long-press it. If it shows as .txt or .xml, rename it so it ends in .gpx.

3. 3

   Share it to your navigation app

   Tap Share and pick your outdoor app from the list. Apps that register for GPX files appear here; you may need to scroll or tap More.

4. 4

   Or import from inside the app

   If your app isn't in the share sheet, open the app, use its import option, and browse to the file in Files.

5. 5

   Confirm and save

   Check that the line appears in the right place, give it a clear name and save it to a folder or list you'll find on the trail.

Import a GPX file on Android

1. 1

   Download the file

   Download the GPX from the website or save the email attachment. It usually lands in the Download folder.

2. 2

   Tap the file and choose Open with

   Open the Files (or My Files) app, go to Downloads and tap the .gpx file. Pick your navigation app from the Open with list.

3. 3

   Or import from inside the app

   If Android offers no suitable app, open your navigation app and use its import option to browse to the Download folder.

4. 4

   Confirm and save

   Check the line appears where you expect and save it to a list or folder in the app.

To transfer from a computer, connect the phone by USB and copy the file into the Download folder, or use a cloud drive and download it on the phone.

Using GPX with TrailX

TrailX has apps for Android and iOS as well as the website. Here's what they do with GPX today:

• Download trails from TrailX. On any TrailX trail page, signed-in users can export the route as GPX (or KML, KMZ, GeoJSON, TCX or CSV), optionally reversed, and import it into any app using the steps above.
• Follow TrailX trails in the app. In the TrailX app, trails from the registry can be downloaded for offline use and followed with in-app navigation. You can also hand off directions to the trail start to Apple Maps or Google Maps.
• Import your own file. The app's Publish screen lets you choose a GPX, KML, KMZ, GeoJSON, TCX or CSV file from your phone, analyse it and publish it to TrailX. GPX import in the app is part of this publishing flow.
• Convert on the phone. The app menu includes a Format Converter that reads the same six formats and sends the converted file to another app through the system share sheet.

Garmin and other GPS devices

If you navigate with a watch or handheld rather than the phone itself, the phone is often just the bridge. On the Garmin Connect website you can import a GPX file as a course and send it to a compatible device; the phone app then syncs it. Other brands (Suunto, Coros, Wahoo) have similar route-import features in their companion apps or web dashboards. Some fitness platforms prefer TCX courses; see GPX vs KML vs TCX for when that matters.

Make it work offline

Download maps, not just the track

The GPX contains only coordinates. The map tiles underneath come from your app, and many apps stream them over mobile data. Before you lose signal, download the offline map area in the app and put the phone in airplane mode at home to confirm both the map and the track still display.

Check the details

• Zoom along the whole line to make sure the file isn't truncated or joined to a stray segment.
• Look at the start: many tracks were recorded in one direction. If you're walking or driving it the other way, reverse the track in the app (or download the reversed version from TrailX).
• GPS positioning works without mobile signal, but it uses battery. Carry a power bank and a paper map as backup.

Frequently asked questions

Can I follow a GPX track in Google Maps?

Not directly. Google Maps can display a map made in Google My Maps (where GPX can be imported), but it won't navigate along that line. For turn-by-turn style guidance along a track, use an outdoor app.

Do I need mobile data to follow the track?

No. Your phone's GPS receiver works without signal. What you need is the map downloaded in advance; the track itself is already stored on the phone once imported.

Why does the recorded line look jagged?

Phone GPS drifts a few metres, especially in forests, canyons and near cliffs, and it wanders while you stand still. That noise inflates distance and climb figures. It's the problem the TrailX analysis engine is built to smooth out.

Troubleshooting

• The file opens as text: the extension is wrong or no app has claimed GPX files. Rename to .gpx and import from inside the app.
• Nothing appears on the map:the file may contain only a route or only waypoints. Check the app's routes and waypoints lists, or open the file on a computer first (how to open a GPX file).
• You were sent a KML or KMZ: convert it with our KML to GPX guide.