Organic Maps is at its best when the signal disappears. Download a region before a trip and the map, search, routes, and bookmarks remain useful offline. Starting again with an empty bookmark screen, however, is a miserable way to switch apps.
Fortunately, Organic Maps has a real file import. Its bookmark import documentation lists KML, KMZ, KMB, GPX, and GeoJSON as supported formats. For an ordinary Google Maps saved list, KML is the least confusing option: your cafes, viewpoints, campsites, and addresses are points, not a recorded hike or cycling track. Make the KML on a computer, send it to the phone, and let Organic Maps turn it into a bookmark collection.
Why KML, not GPX?
Organic Maps can read both. The choice is about meaning, not which extension looks more technical.
- Use KML for a collection of saved places.
- Use GPX when you are moving waypoints alongside routes or recorded tracks, or when another GPS app specifically expects it.
- Use GeoJSON if the file is already part of a GIS or developer workflow.
ExportMyMap writes a clean placemark for each place in KML, including its name, coordinates, and your note if you choose to include notes. If you want to inspect or reuse that file elsewhere, read the full KML export guide.
Part 1: Make the KML file on a computer
Open Google Maps in Chrome, Edge, Brave, or Arc on a computer.
- Install the ExportMyMap Chrome Extension.
- Open Google Maps and click Saved.
- Open the list you want to carry over.
- Launch ExportMyMap and let it finish scanning.
- Select KML, include notes if you want them, and download.
The free version covers the first 10 places; a paid plan is required for the full list. For a Starred list that stops at about 200 places on desktop, use the Google Takeout workflow before exporting.
Part 2: Get the file onto the phone
KML is just a file, so use whatever handoff you already trust:
- save it to iCloud Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox, or Nextcloud;
- AirDrop it to an iPhone;
- use Quick Share on Android;
- attach it to an email to yourself;
- copy it over USB.
Do not open the file inside a cloud-drive preview and assume it has imported. Download it locally or use the system share/open menu so Organic Maps receives the actual KML.
Part 3: Import on Android
Locate the downloaded KML in Files or your chosen cloud app. Tap it once, or press and hold it, then choose Open with Organic Maps. Organic Maps should launch and show a Bookmarks loaded successfully message.
To find the result, open Bookmarks and Tracks. The imported list should appear as a bookmark collection, with its places visible on the map.
If you have several files, Organic Maps also supports batch import. Open Bookmarks and Tracks, tap Import Bookmarks and Tracks, and choose the folder. On Android, the app can scan that folder and its subfolders for supported map files. This is handy if you exported separate Google Maps lists for food, hiking, and a road trip.
Part 4: Import on iPhone or iPad
Open the KML in Files, Mail, or your cloud-drive app. Tap the Share button and choose Import with Organic Maps. Depending on the app and iOS version, Organic Maps may be hidden under More the first time.
After the success message, go to Bookmarks and Tracks to see the collection. Download the surrounding map regions before you leave Wi-Fi if offline use is the point of the move.
What comes across, and what does not
The important bits travel well:
- bookmark name;
- precise coordinates;
- your own note, when included in the KML description;
- a collection name based on the source list.
Google's rating, review count, live opening hours, photos, and popularity are not portable map facts. They belong to Google's place database and do not become Organic Maps data merely because they appeared on a Google place card. If you need those fields for research, export a spreadsheet as well. The Excel and Google Sheets workflow keeps the richer columns alongside the coordinates.
Imported the file, but cannot see any pins?
First, zoom into the area where the places actually are. Then open Bookmarks and Tracks and make sure the imported collection is visible rather than hidden.
If the collection is empty, check the source KML with the KML validator. A point cannot be drawn without latitude and longitude. ExportMyMap skips the rare saved entry that has no usable coordinates, but a normal list should contain placemarks.
If Organic Maps opens the KML as tracks or displays unexpected lines, you probably converted a route or line geometry rather than a point list. Go back to the original Google Maps list and export it directly as KML.
Test the setup before you leave Wi-Fi
Download the regions around the imported places, switch the phone to airplane mode, and open two or three bookmarks. If the map and place names still appear, the part you need on the road is ready. Keep the original KML somewhere sensible in case you want the same collection on another device.
That is the pleasant part of moving to an app that supports open files: the bookmarks are no longer trapped behind one company's Saved screen.