DMS ↔ Decimal Degrees Converter
Convert coordinates between Degrees Minutes Seconds and decimal degrees — in both directions, instantly. Paste a coordinate in any format, type into the DMS or decimal fields, or click the map; every format updates live, with one-tap copy.
Paste any format
Accepts DD, DMS and DDM — with symbols, letters, or plain numbers.
Degrees Minutes Seconds (DMS)
Decimal Degrees (DD)
South latitudes and west longitudes are negative.
All formats — converts as you type
40.689247, -74.04450240°41'21.3"N 74°2'40.2"W40°41.355'N 74°2.670'WThe pin previews the coordinate you're converting — click or drag to pick a point visually and read it in all three formats.
DMS and Decimal Degrees — When Each Format Is Used
Decimal degrees (DD) is the format of the digital world: Google Maps URLs, smartphone apps, GeoJSON, databases, and every mapping API. Degrees Minutes Seconds (DMS) is the traditional format: printed on topographic maps, quoted in legal land descriptions, engraved on boundary markers, and displayed by many handheld GPS receivers. Converting between the two is the most common coordinate task there is — a wrong minute or a dropped sign puts you kilometres off, which is why this tool shows the point on a live map as a sanity check.
The third format, degrees decimal minutes (DDM), is shown in the results too — it is the standard in marine and aviation navigation, so you can read a chart-plotter coordinate straight into the paste box and copy out whichever format you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert DMS to decimal degrees?
The formula is: decimal degrees = degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600, with a negative sign for South latitudes and West longitudes. For example, 40°41'21.3"N = 40 + 41/60 + 21.3/3600 = 40.689250. This tool does the arithmetic instantly in both directions as you type.
How do I convert decimal degrees to DMS?
Take the whole number as degrees; multiply the remaining fraction by 60 to get minutes; multiply that remainder by 60 again for seconds. For example, 40.689247° → 40° + (0.689247 × 60 = 41.35') → 41' + (0.35 × 60 ≈ 21.3") = 40°41'21.3". Enter a decimal value here and read the DMS fields immediately.
What formats can I paste into the converter?
Almost anything: decimal degrees (40.689247, -74.044502), DMS with symbols (40°41'21.3"N 74°2'40.2"W), DMS with letters or spaces (40 41 21.3 N), and degrees decimal minutes (40°41.355'N). Hemisphere letters can come before or after the numbers.
Which format does Google Maps use?
Google Maps accepts both, but decimal degrees is the native format for its URLs, APIs, and databases — latitude first, then longitude, separated by a comma. If you have a DMS coordinate from a paper map or GPS receiver, convert it here and paste the decimal result into Google Maps.
Why are South and West coordinates negative in decimal degrees?
Decimal degrees drop the N/S/E/W letters and use signs instead: north latitude and east longitude are positive, south latitude and west longitude are negative. 40.689247, -74.044502 is therefore 40°41'21"N, 74°2'40"W — New York, not somewhere in Asia.
How many decimal places do I need?
Five decimal places locate a point to about 1.1 metres at the equator, six to about 11 cm. This tool outputs six, which is more than enough for navigation, mapping, and surveying reconnaissance. More digits add no real-world accuracy for consumer GPS data.
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