Why convert KMZ to SHP?
Shapefiles are the standard for professional GIS workflows including ArcGIS, spatial analysis, and data delivery to surveyors or planning departments. KMZ is designed for viewing in Google Earth and carries no analysis-ready attribute structure; converting to .shp makes the data usable in those contexts.
How to convert KMZ to SHP
QGIS OPEN-SOURCE
Add the .kmz as a vector layer, right-click it in the Layers panel, and choose Export > Save Features As with format set to ESRI Shapefile. QGIS writes the .shp, .shx, .dbf, and .prj files.
ogr2ogr (GDAL) OPEN-SOURCE
Run ogr2ogr -f "ESRI Shapefile" output_folder/ input.kmz to convert all layers. Use ogrinfo -al -so input.kmz to list layer names before targeting a specific one.
About these formats
.KMZ
Keyhole Markup Language Zipped (Google Earth)
A KMZ file is a ZIP-compressed Google Earth map - it holds placemarks, routes, polygons, image overlays and sometimes 3D models in one portable package. Open it with the free Google Earth…
Open .KMZ details →
.SHP
Esri Shapefile (geospatial vector data)
A .shp file is almost always an Esri Shapefile - geospatial vector data (points, lines, polygons) used by GIS software. It is one piece of a set: it needs its sibling files (.shx, .dbf, and…
Open .SHP details →Quality & what to watch
- A single KMZ layer that mixes points, lines, and polygons produces three separate
.shpfiles - one per geometry type; this is a Shapefile limitation, not a tool bug. - KMZ styling (icon colors, line widths, polygon fills) is not supported by the Shapefile format and is lost on conversion.
- QGIS defaults to WGS 84 (EPSG:4326), which matches KMZ coordinates - no reprojection is needed in most cases.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my KMZ produce multiple shapefiles?
Can I convert only one layer from a multi-layer KMZ?
ogrinfo -al -so input.kmz to list layers, then pass the layer name as the last argument to ogr2ogr.
