How do I import a KML file into Google Earth Pro?

In Google Earth Pro, select File > Open, choose the .kml or .kmz file, and select Open. The content appears in the Places panel, usually under Temporary Places. Tick its checkbox to display it, then drag it into My Places if you want it retained after closing Google Earth Pro.

Import a KML file step by step

Google Earth Pro opens KML through File > Open; you do not need its separate GIS import workflow.

1. Launch Google Earth Pro: Use the desktop application, not Google Earth in a browser, because its project and import controls differ.
2. Open the file: Select File > Open and locate the .kml or .kmz file. You can also drag the file directly onto the globe or Places panel.
3. Find the imported content: Expand Temporary Places in the Places panel. If the panel is hidden, enable the sidebar from the View menu.
4. Display and inspect it: Tick the imported folder and any relevant child items. Double-click a placemark or folder to fly to its location.
5. Keep the import: Drag the folder from Temporary Places into My Places. Use the Save My Places command before closing Google Earth Pro.

Moving an item into My Places does not rewrite the original KML. To create a separate copy, right-click the imported folder, choose Save Place As, and save it as KML or KMZ.

Why does my KML file open but show nothing?

An apparently blank import is usually hidden, positioned outside the expected area or dependent on data that Google Earth Pro cannot reach.

• Unchecked folders: Tick the top-level folder as well as its child placemarks, paths or polygons. A disabled parent can hide everything beneath it.
• The view has not moved: Double-click the imported item in Places. Google Earth Pro does not always fly to newly opened content automatically.
• Reversed coordinates: KML uses longitude, latitude and optional altitude in that order. For example, -0.1278,51.5074,0 is near London; reversing the first two values puts it elsewhere.
• Altitude hides the geometry: An unsuitable absolute or relative altitude can place a route underground or far above the surface. Change the item's altitude settings or regenerate the file with an appropriate altitude mode.
• Malformed XML: A parsing error with a line number normally means the KML contains broken tags, invalid characters or incorrect nesting. Re-export it from the originating application rather than merely renaming the file.
• Missing external content: Network links and remotely hosted icons require their source to remain reachable. Local icon paths also fail when the KML is moved to another computer.
• Excessive complexity: Very large paths and polygons can take time to draw or make Google Earth Pro unresponsive. Split the data into smaller files or reduce unnecessary points at the source.

For a diagnostic comparison, try our FSX airport and navaid KML overlay. If that displays correctly while your own file does not, the fault is probably in your file's structure, coordinates or linked resources rather than Google Earth Pro.

Should I use KML or KMZ?

Both formats open the same way, but KMZ is usually the better choice when the map contains custom icons or other supporting files.

We recommend KMZ for portable overlays and KML for troubleshooting or hand-editing coordinates. Renaming a ZIP archive to .kmz is not enough unless it contains a valid KML document in the expected package structure.

Can Google Earth Pro import a simulator flight plan?

Google Earth Pro can display a flight path exported as KML, but it does not directly understand every simulator-native flight-plan format.

A .pln or .fms file must first be exported or converted to KML by compatible software. The resulting line is a geographic overlay, not an active route loaded back into the aircraft's GPS or flight-management system. Our saved flight-path KML workflow for FSX shows how simulator positions and routes can be recorded and then opened in Google Earth Pro.