In OsmAnd, a dot and a line are not the same thing. It sounds obvious, but it is the source of most bad import instructions.
A Google Maps saved list is a group of independent points: a campsite here, a bakery there, a fuel stop 80 kilometers away. In OsmAnd those belong in Favorites. A Track is an ordered path you walked, rode, or plan to follow. Import the list as a track and you may end up with a nonsensical line joining every saved place.
The useful bridge is a GPX file containing waypoints, the point type OsmAnd treats as Favorites.
Why GPX is the right format for OsmAnd
OsmAnd stores and shares Favorites as GPX. Its current Favorites documentation calls the standard backup file favorites.gpx and says the app imports favorite points as waypoints from GPX on both Android and iOS.
ExportMyMap produces exactly that kind of geometry. Every saved place with coordinates becomes a waypoint with:
- latitude and longitude;
- the place name;
- the address;
- your note, if you include notes;
- a link back to Google Maps when available.
There is no route or track line in the file. That is intentional.
Step 1: Export the Google Maps list as GPX
Open Google Maps in Chrome, Edge, Brave, or Arc on a computer.
- Install the ExportMyMap Chrome Extension.
- Click Saved and open the list you want to move.
- Launch ExportMyMap and let the scan complete.
- Select GPX.
- Turn on notes if you want your personal comments in the waypoint descriptions.
- Download the file.
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.
Step 2: Copy the GPX to the OsmAnd device
Send the file to the phone by cloud drive, AirDrop, Quick Share, email, messenger, USB, or any method that lets the system file picker reach it.
Saving a copy in a dedicated Maps folder is worth the ten seconds. “places.gpx” inside a month-old email is easy to lose; a dated file such as rome-food-2026-07.gpx is an actual backup.
Step 3: Import it from Favorites, not Tracks
OsmAnd's labels vary a little by platform and version.
On Android: open Menu → My Places → Favorites. Use the Import button at the bottom of the Favorites screen and choose the GPX file.
On iPhone: open Menu → My Places → My Favorites. Tap Import favorite and select the GPX file from Files or your cloud location.
The key is the screen you start from: Favorites. If you simply tap a GPX in a file manager, the system may hand it to OsmAnd's general import flow, where a route or track interpretation is also possible. Starting in Favorites makes your intention clear.
After import, open the resulting group and check a few points. Tap one in a city center and one outside town, then make sure the names and locations are sensible.
What will look different after the move
OsmAnd is based on OpenStreetMap data, while the file came from Google Maps. The waypoint coordinates remain the same, but the surrounding place card may not.
Expect these differences:
- category names may change;
- a business may have less detail in OpenStreetMap;
- Google ratings, review counts, photos, and live popularity do not transfer;
- imported points use the favorite group's appearance until you choose new icons or colors;
- Google Maps list order does not become a meaningful sort order in OsmAnd.
The address and your note live in the GPX description. OsmAnd can display them with the favorite, but it will not turn Google-specific metadata into native OpenStreetMap tags.
If the extra business fields matter, keep an Excel copy of the list beside the GPX. The GPX is for navigation; the workbook is for research.
Organize the favorites after import
One source list should usually become one OsmAnd favorite group. Rename the group so it still makes sense six months later: Iceland campsites, Lisbon food, or Customer visits, not New group 3.
From the Favorites screen you can change the group color, marker shape, and default icon. Do that at group level before editing individual points. It is faster, and a consistent marker style makes the imported collection easy to toggle on and off.
For several Google Maps lists, export and import them separately. Merging everything into one GPX first loses the clean boundary between lists and creates more sorting work inside OsmAnd.
Troubleshooting
OsmAnd shows a line connecting the places
The file was imported as a track, or it was converted into GPX route/track geometry somewhere along the way. Delete that track and import the original ExportMyMap file through My Places → Favorites.
Some places are missing
A GPX waypoint needs coordinates. ExportMyMap skips a rare saved entry if Google provides no usable latitude and longitude. You can inspect the file with the free GPX validator, which reports how many waypoints, routes, and tracks it contains.
For this export, the expected shape is simple: many waypoints, zero routes, zero tracks.
The pins exist, but the offline map is blank
Favorites and offline map data are separate. Download the required country or region in OsmAnd before traveling. The waypoints can be present even when the underlying offline map has not been installed.
You exported KML by mistake
Do not rebuild the list. Convert the file locally with the KML to GPX converter, then import the resulting GPX through Favorites.
Check it once without a connection
Download the required map regions, switch to airplane mode, and open one city favorite and one remote favorite. This catches a missing offline map while you can still fix it. Store the original GPX outside the phone as a simple re-import file.
Once the points are in Favorites and the offline regions are downloaded, you have the useful part of the old Google Maps list without needing Google Maps on the road.