Add your TCX file
Drop one or more .tcx files onto the converter above, or browse for them. They load into browser memory only — nothing is uploaded, so there is no size-based pricing and no server queue.
TCX to KML
Converting a .tcx font to .kml repackages the same glyphs and metrics for a different delivery target. Free, private, and validated — the file never leaves your browser.
Private for supported formats — processed in your browser
Runs on your deviceConvert supported files
Drop TCX files here
Batch files can each use a different output. Nothing uploads for local conversions.
Working inputs include camera RAW, browser-local audio/video, PDF, CBZ/CBR comics, office documents, ebooks, markup, 3D models, structured text, images, and archives.About converting Training Center XML to Keyhole Markup Language
Converting a .tcx font to .kml repackages the same glyphs and metrics for a different delivery target. A .tcx file is Garmin's Training Center XML: an activity file that records not only where you went but how the effort was structured — laps, heart rate, cadence, power and calories — alongside the positional track. It is a fitness format first and a geographic one second.
A .kml file is Keyhole Markup Language: an XML format describing geographic features together with how they should look and how a camera should view them — placemarks, paths, polygons, styles, icons and overlays. It carries presentation, which is what separates it from GPX and GeoJSON. For this route the practical draw is carries presentation, not just geometry — the only one of these three that does and an OGC standard rather than a vendor format — balanced against verbose, and mixing styling with data makes documents large, which is worth knowing before you commit a large batch.
Why convert TCX to KML?
The practical trigger for this conversion is usually a mismatch: with .tcx, more verbose than GPX for the same track. Switching to .kml buys you carries presentation, not just geometry — the only one of these three that does, which is why it is the better fit for displaying geographic data in Google Earth or Google Maps. Because the conversion runs locally, trying it costs nothing but a few seconds of compute on your own machine.
TCX vs KML at a glance
| Aspect | Training Center XML (.tcx) | Keyhole Markup Language (.kml) |
|---|---|---|
| Format type | Text-based — characters and structure, so there is no visual quality loss | Text-based — characters and structure, so there is no visual quality loss |
| How it stores data | activities contain Laps, and Laps contain a Track of Trackpoints — a stricter hierarchy than GPX's | placemark elements pair a geometry with a name, description and style reference |
| Strongest at | exporting a structured workout from a Garmin device | displaying geographic data in Google Earth or Google Maps |
| Weak spot | more verbose than GPX for the same track | verbose, and mixing styling with data makes documents large |
| Metadata | positions, timestamps and altitude are preserved. Heart rate, cadence, lap aggregates and sport type have no equivalent in GPX, GeoJSON or KML and are not carried across | geometry, names and descriptions are preserved. Styling, icons and camera viewpoints have no equivalent in GeoJSON or GPX and are not carried across |
Pick KML as the output
Select .kml in the output menu next to each file. The menu only offers targets this engine can genuinely produce, so if KML is selectable, the route is real and validated.
Convert on your device
Press Convert. The font tables are parsed and rewritten locally with fonteditor-core; glyph outlines, hinting, and kerning survive the trip.
Verify and download
Each result is signature-checked before the download unlocks, so a failed encode can never masquerade as a valid KML file. Outputs keep the original filename with the .kml extension.
TCX to KML questions, answered
Will converting TCX to KML lose quality?
There is no visual quality to lose — tcx is text-oriented and kml is text-oriented, so the question is structural fidelity. Text, ordering, and basic structure are preserved; complex layout, embedded objects, and styling beyond the target's model are simplified.
Is it private to convert TCX files here?
Yes — the .tcx file is processed inside your browser tab and never uploaded. The font tables are parsed and rewritten locally with fonteditor-core; glyph outlines, hinting, and kerning survive the trip. Close the tab and the file is gone from memory.
Where will the KML file work?
Native to Google Earth and Google My Maps, and supported by QGIS, ArcGIS and GDAL. Web mapping libraries usually want GeoJSON instead. Novus Convert parses placemarks and geometry locally — without following NetworkLink references — and converts to GeoJSON and GPX.
Will the KML file be bigger or smaller than my TCX?
It depends on the content: placemark elements pair a geometry with a name, description and style reference. Convert one representative file first and compare before batch-processing a large set.
What happens to the metadata in my TCX file?
In .tcx, positions, timestamps and altitude are preserved. Heart rate, cadence, lap aggregates and sport type have no equivalent in GPX, GeoJSON or KML and are not carried across. Re-encoding through the browser pipeline does not carry embedded metadata into the output, which doubles as a privacy scrub — check the exported file if you specifically need tags preserved.