Coordinate Converter
Paste coordinates in decimal degrees, DMS or decimal minutes, and the coordinate converter shows the other two formats and the point on a map. Conversion happens in your browser.
Decimal degrees, DMS or decimal minutes, latitude first.
How the conversion works
A degree has 60 minutes and a minute has 60 seconds, like an hour. To turn DMS into decimal degrees, divide the minutes by 60 and the seconds by 3,600, then add both to the degrees:
40°42′46.1″ = 40 + 42/60 + 46.1/3600 = 40.712806°
Going the other way, the whole number is the degrees. Multiply the rest by 60 for minutes, and the rest of that by 60 for seconds. South and west become a minus sign in decimal degrees, so 74°00′21.6″W is −74.006.
Paste any format reads both numbers from one line. Enter DMS gives you separate boxes for degrees, minutes and seconds, plus N/S and E/W buttons. An empty minutes or seconds box counts as zero.
Formats and how much detail they keep
- Decimal degrees: 40.7128, -74.0060 or 40.7128 -74.0060
- DMS with symbols or spaces: 40°42′46.1″N 74°00′21.6″W, or 40 42 46.1 N, 74 0 21.6 W
- Decimal minutes: 40°42.768′N 74°0.36′W
- Hemisphere letters before or after the numbers: N 40.7128 W 74.006
- Decimal commas: 40,7128 N; 74,006 W
Typed quotes (' and ") work in place of the ′ and ″ symbols. With hemisphere letters, longitude first is fine too: 74.006 W, 40.7128 N.
Results are rounded for display. One second of latitude is about 100 ft (31 m), so each format keeps a slightly different level of detail:
| Format | Shown to | Smallest step at the equator |
|---|---|---|
| Decimal degrees | 6 decimal places | About 4 in (11 cm) |
| DMS | 0.1 second | About 10 ft (3 m) |
| Decimal minutes | 0.001 minute | About 6 ft (1.9 m) |
That's why 40.7128 comes back as 40.712806 after a trip through DMS. The gap is about 2 ft (0.6 m), far less than the 16 ft (5 m) a phone typically manages under open sky.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Minutes or seconds of 60 or more. 40°60′ is really 41°00′, so the converter rejects such values to catch typos.
- Mixed formats. 40.42.46 isn't a valid coordinate. Write 40°42′46″ or 40.7128.
- A dropped minus sign. Without it, a point in New York jumps to Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia.
- Longitude first. GeoJSON files list longitude before latitude. Without letters, the converter assumes latitude first. It flags a first number outside −90 to 90, but can't spot a swap when both numbers fit.
- A different datum. Old paper maps may use a local datum instead of WGS84. Japan's old Tokyo Datum, for example, is shifted by about 1,300 ft (400 m).
Always check the pin on the map. If it lands in the ocean or on the wrong continent, look at the order and the signs first. To read the coordinates of your own spot or an address, use GPS coordinates.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert DMS to decimal degrees?
Decimal degrees = degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600, with a minus sign for south or west. Or paste the DMS value above and copy the result.
How do I convert decimal degrees to DMS?
Take the whole degrees, multiply the remainder by 60 for minutes, then multiply the new remainder by 60 for seconds. The converter does both coordinates at once.
What is the difference between DMS and DDM?
DMS splits a degree into minutes and seconds (40°42′46.1″). DDM uses decimal minutes without seconds (40°42.768′). Both describe the same point.
Why is my converted point in the wrong place?
Usually the order or a sign is off. Check that latitude comes first and that south and west have a minus sign or the letter S or W.
Can I find the address for converted coordinates?
Yes. After converting, tap Show address of this point. The coordinates are sent only to look up an approximate address and are not stored by us.