How to import travel places into Google My Maps

November 12, 2026 · 6 min read

A hand placing an item into a printed travel guide.
Photo by Aleksey Cherenkevich on Unsplash

Google My Maps can import places from a file. On a computer, add a layer and import a CSV, spreadsheet, KML, KMZ, or GPX file that includes names, addresses, or coordinates. This is not a Google Maps list. Official limits apply, including a 2,000-row cap.

My Maps is not a Google Maps list

People often say “I’ll put it in Google Maps” when they mean two different things.

A Google Maps list is a collection of saved places in the Maps app. Google documents how to create a list of places by searching a place and saving it. That workflow is ideal when you add pins one by one on your phone.

Google My Maps is a separate product for building a custom map with layers. Its help page on importing map features from a file is the primary source for this article. You import into a layer, not into a standard Maps list. If your goal is “drop 80 restaurants from a spreadsheet onto a map,” My Maps is the tool Google documents for that job.

Travelers who collect many ideas from videos often start with Maps lists. Importing a file becomes useful when the list is long, when several people are contributing names, or when you already have a KML or a spreadsheet.

What you can import

According to Google’s import help, accepted types include CSV, TSV, XLSX, Google Sheets, KML, KMZ, GPX, and, in some cases, photos from Google Drive or Google Photos.

Unless the file is a photo, the first row should contain column titles. To place the pins, you need a column with latitude and longitude, addresses, place names, or WKT geometry (CSV and Google Sheets can use a column named “WKT”).

If you are compiling travel spots from videos, the practical minimum is a place name plus city, in separate columns if possible. Addresses or coordinates are better when you have them, because common names have many matches.

Official size and row limits

The same help page sets clear caps:

If an upload fails, check the format, the header row, and these limits first. The help page also notes that you may need to allow `https://mymaps.google.com/` to open Drive if you import from there.

How to import a file into a layer

Summarized from Import map features from a file:

  1. On a computer, sign in to My Maps.
  2. Open a map or create a new one.
  3. In the legend, add a layer and name it, for example “Lisbon — food” or “Lisbon — walks.”
  4. Under the new layer, choose Import and upload the file.

After a first import, My Maps can reimport or merge data from Sheets or CSV: replace all items, update matching items, add more items, or merge matching items on a shared column. Those options matter if you keep a running travel spreadsheet and do not want to restyle the layer each time.

Use one layer per category or per source if that helps you read the map later.

What may not come across in a KML file

KML is a natural format if another tool has already placed your spots on a map and offers an export. Google warns that KML files may not import all of their data, including:

If your file uses folders or rich balloons, expect a flatter result in My Maps. After import, spot-check a sample of places, especially pins with ambiguous names.

Prepare a clean travel spreadsheet

A useful sheet is consistent: official `name` (confirmed in Google Maps when possible), `city` and maybe `neighborhood`, `address` or coordinates, `category`, `source` (a creator handle or “manual”), and `notes`.

Confirm places before import when you can. An imported map will accept a wrong name. Merge rows that are the same place with different nicknames, and stay under 2,000 rows.

For collecting names from saved TikToks or from a specific creator before you build the file, see How to turn saved travel TikToks into a Google Maps list by city and How to map a TikTok creator’s travel recommendations for one destination.

If you already have a KML from a mapping workflow

The import steps are the ones above: add a layer, Import, upload the file, then check the 5 MB and feature-support limits.

Waymarks can export saved places as a KML or CSV file. You can import the KML into Google My Maps with the official import steps. After any export, validate a handful of pins against Google Maps. A successful import means the file was accepted, not that every name matched the intended place.

A KML export is a way to move places into a map you control. It is not a substitute for confirming that each place is the right pin.

FAQ

Can I import a file into a normal Google Maps list?

Google documents file import for My Maps, not as a way to fill a standard Maps list (import help; lists). Use lists when you save places one at a time in the Maps app. Use My Maps when you have a file.

Which column is enough: name, address, or coordinates?

Any one of names, addresses, or latitude-longitude can be used, according to Google, plus WKT for some spreadsheet files. For travel lists, a name without a city is the most error-prone option when the same name exists in many countries.

What is the maximum number of rows?

Google says not to import files with more than 2,000 rows (source).

Why did some places from my KML disappear?

The official help lists KML features that may not import, including folders, overlays, MultiGeometries, tours, and some balloon content. Check those limits and the 5 MB cap for unzipped KML or KMZ files.

Can I update a layer later without losing styles?

Yes, for Sheets and CSV. Google documents reimport options to replace all items, update matching items, add more items, or merge matching items on a shared column. If you previously styled features by a data column, the help page says those style rules can be copied to the replacement data.

Should I still check the pins after a successful import?

Yes. A successful import means the file was accepted, not that every name matched the place you saw in a video. Check photos and locations for a sample of rows, especially chains and common names.