Coordinate Format Converter

Convert between different coordinate formats: Lat/Lon, UTM, MGRS, and DMS. Essential for surveyors, GeoGuessr players, and map enthusiasts.

Input Format

Decimal Degrees (DD)Degrees Minutes Seconds (DMS)Degrees Decimal Minutes (DDM)UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator)MGRS (Military Grid Reference)

Input Coordinates

Supported Formats

🌐 Decimal Degrees (DD)

40.7128, -74.0060

Standard GPS format (latitude, longitude)

📐 Degrees Minutes Seconds (DMS)

40°42'46.08"N, 74°00'21.60"W

Traditional navigation format

🗺️ UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator)

18T 583960mE 4507523mN

Military and survey grid system (60 zones worldwide)

🎯 MGRS (Military Grid Reference System)

18TWL8396007523

NATO standard grid reference (used by military/emergency services)

📍 Degrees Decimal Minutes (DDM)

40°42.768'N, 74°0.360'W

Marine and aviation format

How to Use

1. Select input format (DD, DMS, UTM, MGRS, or DDM)
2. Enter coordinates in the input box
3. See instant conversion to all other formats
4. Copy results or click map to visualize location

Features

✓ 5 coordinate formats — DD, DMS, UTM, MGRS, DDM ✓ Bidirectional conversion — Convert between any formats ✓ Instant results — Real-time conversion as you type ✓ Map preview — Click to see location on interactive map ✓ Batch processing — Convert lists of coordinates ✓ Copy formatting — Choose output style (with/without symbols) ✓ Precision control — Set decimal places for output

Use Cases

📍 GeoGuessr — Convert coordinates to find game locations 🗺️ Land surveying — Work with UTM grid measurements ✈️ Aviation — Use DMS for flight planning 🚢 Marine navigation — Convert to/from degrees decimal minutes ⛰️ Hiking — Convert GPS coordinates to MGRS grid references 🎮 Gaming — Find locations in geography games 📱 Mobile apps — Convert app coordinates to readable format

Format Examples

New York City (Statue of Liberty)

Format	Coordinates
DD	40.689247, -74.044502
DMS	40°41'21.3"N 74°02'40.2"W
UTM	18T 583552mE 4507412mN
MGRS	18TWL8355207412
DDM	40°41.355'N 74°02.670'W

Tokyo Tower, Japan

Format	Coordinates
DD	35.658584, 139.745433
DMS	35°39'30.9"N 139°44'43.6"E
UTM	54S 388538mE 3947747mN
MGRS	54SUE8853847747
DDM	35°39.515'N 139°44.726'E

Tips

💡 DD is most common — Use for web mapping and GPS devices 💡 DMS for traditional maps — Older maps and nautical charts use DMS 💡 UTM for precision — Best for surveying and engineering (meters, not degrees) 💡 MGRS for military — NATO standard, compact grid reference 💡 Check hemisphere — N/S and E/W matter! Wrong hemisphere = wrong location 💡 Mind the zone — UTM has 60 zones; MGRS includes zone in the reference

Understanding UTM Zones

UTM divides the world into 60 zones, each 6° of longitude wide:

• Zones 1-60 — Numbered from 180°W eastward
• Latitude bands — C to X (C-M = South, N-X = North)
• Example: 18T = Zone 18, Band T (New York area)

Find Your UTM Zone

• Longitude ÷ 6 + 31 = Zone number (approximately)
• Use online zone finder for exact boundaries

Understanding MGRS

MGRS grid references consist of:

1. Grid Zone — e.g., 18T (UTM zone + band)
2. 100km Square ID — e.g., WL (two letters)
3. Easting & Northing — e.g., 8396007523 (meters within square)

MGRS Precision Levels

• 10 digits → 1 meter precision
• 8 digits → 10 meter precision
• 6 digits → 100 meter precision
• 4 digits → 1 km precision

DMS Format Variations

Common ways to write DMS coordinates:

40°42'46.08"N, 74°00'21.60"W  (Standard)
40° 42' 46.08" N, 74° 0' 21.60" W  (With spaces)
N40°42'46.08" W74°00'21.60"  (Hemisphere first)
40:42:46.08N, 74:00:21.60W  (Colon separator)

All formats are supported for input!

Related Tools

• CRS Converter — Transform between coordinate systems
• GeoJSON ↔ WKT — Convert to spatial database format
• Distance Tool — Measure distances between coordinates

Technical Details

Conversion Algorithms

• DD ↔ DMS: Trigonometric conversion preserving hemisphere
• DD ↔ UTM: Transverse Mercator projection with zone detection
• DD ↔ MGRS: UTM conversion + military grid overlay
• Precision: Up to 8 decimal places for DD (~1mm accuracy)

Supported Ranges

• Latitude: -90° to +90° (S to N)
• Longitude: -180° to +180° (W to E)
• UTM: All 60 zones, bands C-X
• MGRS: Complete global coverage

Input Parsing

• Flexible format recognition
• Automatic hemisphere detection
• Symbol-agnostic (°, ', ", or text)
• Whitespace tolerant

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What's the difference between UTM and MGRS? A: MGRS is based on UTM but uses a more compact grid reference system. UTM gives easting/northing in meters; MGRS encodes this into a shorter alphanumeric string.

Q: Why does my UTM coordinate have letters and numbers? A: The letters indicate the UTM zone (e.g., 18T). The numbers are easting and northing in meters.

Q: Can I convert coordinates near the poles? A: UTM/MGRS work best between 80°S and 84°N. Near poles, use UPS (Universal Polar Stereographic) instead.

Q: What's the most accurate format? A: All formats can be equally accurate. DD with 8 decimals ≈ 1mm precision. UTM/MGRS are in meters, making calculations easier.

Q: How do I know if coordinates are N/S or E/W? A: Positive latitude = North, negative = South. Positive longitude = East, negative = West.

Q: What format does GeoGuessr use? A: GeoGuessr displays DD (Decimal Degrees) in the format: latitude, longitude.

Q: Can I batch convert a list of coordinates? A: Yes! Paste multiple coordinates (one per line) for batch conversion.

Q: Why do I get "Invalid coordinates" error? A: Check format, hemisphere indicators, and ranges. Latitude must be ±90°, longitude ±180°.

Q: What's the difference between DD and DDM? A: DD = pure decimal (40.689247°), DDM = degrees + decimal minutes (40°41.355'). DDM is common in marine/aviation.

Q: How precise is UTM? A: UTM coordinates are in meters. With standard precision, you can represent locations to within 1 meter.