Learn how to use Garmin POI Loader to format CSV or GPX files, transfer custom POIs, set alerts, and fix missing or misplaced points.
To use Garmin POI Loader, prepare custom locations as CSV or GPX files, connect a compatible Garmin device by USB, select the source folder in POI Loader, choose automatic or manual alert settings, and transfer the data. The locations then appear under Custom POIs or Extras, depending on the Garmin model.
This is a general workflow for compatible physical Garmin sat-nav and handheld devices. Garmin aviation units, watches and simulator avionics do not normally accept POI Loader files.
What should you prepare before using POI Loader?
Confirm that your Garmin model supports custom POIs and is detected by POI Loader before formatting a large collection. A device appearing in Garmin Express does not necessarily mean it supports POI Loader.
- Install Garmin POI Loader and any USB drivers required by your computer.
- Use a data-capable USB cable; some cables provide power only.
- Back up the device's existing
Garmin/POIfolder if one is present. - Keep every POI collection in one master source folder on the computer, because a later transfer may replace the previously generated POI set.
You can organise collections into subfolders such as Airfields, Viewing Areas and Fuel Stops. Subfolder names may become categories, although the resulting menu structure varies by device, so avoid deep nesting.
Should custom Garmin POIs use CSV or GPX?
Use CSV for straightforward coordinates and labels; choose GPX when you need richer waypoint information or embedded proximity data.
| Format | Best used for | Main consideration |
|---|---|---|
| CSV | Simple lists containing coordinates, names and comments | Garmin expects longitude before latitude and normally no header row |
| GPX | Waypoints with descriptions, symbols or alert metadata | The GPX must contain valid waypoint elements rather than only a route or track |
A basic Garmin CSV row follows this order:
-0.4543,51.4700,"Airport viewing area","Public parking nearby"
The first value is longitude and the second is latitude, both in decimal degrees. Western longitudes and southern latitudes require negative values. Put text containing commas inside quotation marks.
How do you transfer the custom POIs?
The transfer consists of selecting the connected Garmin, pointing POI Loader at the folder containing the CSV or GPX files, and choosing how alerts should be handled.
- Connect the Garmin device. Wait until the computer and POI Loader recognise it. If using a supported memory card instead, insert it before opening the application.
- Select the destination. Choose the Garmin device or card shown by POI Loader, taking care not to select an unrelated removable drive.
- Choose to install new custom POIs. The wording can differ between the Windows and Mac versions, but select the installation option rather than removal.
- Select the source folder. Choose the parent folder containing all the CSV, GPX and optional icon files you want transferred.
- Set the measurement units. Pick miles and feet or kilometres and metres to match the alert values in your files.
- Choose Express or Manual mode. Express mode suits ordinary destination lists. Manual mode lets you assign speed or proximity alerts to individual files.
- Complete the transfer. POI Loader compiles the source data into a GPI file, commonly
poi.gpi, inside the device'sGarmin/POIfolder. - Safely eject and restart the Garmin. Open the destination search menu and look under Custom POIs, Extras or Categories.
How do custom icons and proximity alerts work?
Icons and alerts work only when the accompanying files, POI Loader settings and Garmin model all support them.
For a custom icon, place a small BMP image in the same folder and give it exactly the same base name as the data file, such as Airfields.csv and Airfields.bmp. Older Garmin units are safest with a small, low-colour-depth bitmap; an unsupported image is usually ignored without preventing the POIs from loading.
Select Manual mode when every point in a file needs a defined speed or proximity threshold. Alerts must also be enabled in the Garmin's proximity-points settings. Some models support custom sounds, but accepted audio formats vary considerably, so a visual alert may work even when the matching sound does not.
Why are Garmin custom POIs missing or in the wrong place?
Missing or misplaced POIs usually result from device compatibility, an invalid source file, reversed coordinates or a previous collection being overwritten.
| Problem | Likely cause and fix |
|---|---|
| POI Loader cannot find the Garmin | Try a data-capable cable and another USB port. Let the device finish entering computer mode, and close other Garmin applications that may be using it. |
| The transfer succeeds but no POIs appear | Restart the device and check Custom POIs, Extras and Categories. Confirm that the chosen model actually supports custom POIs. |
| A point appears in another country | Check that longitude comes first, latitude second, and that west or south coordinates have a minus sign. Do not enter degrees-minutes-seconds in a decimal-degree CSV. |
| Only the newest collection remains | A new transfer has probably replaced the earlier generated GPI file. Rebuild the master source folder with every collection and load them together. |
| Proximity alerts never trigger | Enable proximity alerts on the device, use Manual mode or valid GPX alert data, and place road-related points close enough to the mapped road. |
| Names or comments are split incorrectly | Quote fields containing commas, remove an accidental header row and check the file's delimiter and character encoding. |
How do you update or remove custom Garmin POIs?
Update custom POIs by editing the master CSV or GPX files and transferring the complete collection again. Do not load only the changed file unless you are certain your device preserves separately named GPI packages.
To remove them, use POI Loader's removal option. Manual deletion is possible, but delete only the GPI file created by POI Loader after making a backup; other GPI files may belong to installed maps or commercial databases.
Are custom POIs the same as routes or waypoints?
Custom POIs are searchable destinations and alert locations, not complete routes, flight plans or ordinary saved favourites. You can select one and ask a road Garmin to calculate a route to it, but POI Loader does not import a sequence of points as a navigable flight plan.
If the intended destination is a flight simulator rather than a physical Garmin device, use the simulator's own flight-planning tools. Our guidance on entering and checking route points in the Microsoft Flight Simulator G1000 covers that workflow, while FlightGear users should follow the separate process for setting up GPS navigation and flight-plan data in FlightGear.