How to open a GPX file on Mac
To open a GPX file on a Mac, drag it from Finder onto gpxviewer.app in your browser — the route appears on a map immediately. macOS has no built-in GPX viewer, so double-clicking a .gpx usually does nothing useful; a browser viewer is the fastest fix.
Open a GPX file in your browser (fastest)
- Find the GPX file in Finder. Locate the .gpx file — often in Downloads or wherever you saved it.
- Open gpxviewer.app in a browser. In Safari, Chrome, or any browser, go to gpxviewer.app.
- Drag the file onto the page. Drag the .gpx from Finder and drop it onto the viewer's upload area. (Or click “Choose a file” and select it.)
- View the route. The track renders on the map with distance, elevation, speed heat-zones, and animated replay. Parsing happens in the browser — the file is never uploaded.
Open your GPX file now
Drag a .gpx file onto the viewer to see the route on an interactive map with speed heat-zones and an elevation profile. Everything runs in your browser — the file is never uploaded.
Alternative: Google Earth Pro
If you'd rather use a desktop app, Google Earth Pro is free and opens GPX. Install it, then choose File → Import (or File → Open) and select your .gpx to see the track draped over the 3D globe. It's heavier than a browser viewer and better suited to exploring terrain than reading ride or run metrics.
Why double-clicking doesn't work
macOS ships with no application registered for the .gpx extension, so a double-click either does nothing or opens the raw XML in a text editor. Rather than assigning a default app, it's simpler to open a viewer first and load the file into it.
Frequently asked questions
Does macOS have a built-in GPX viewer?
No. macOS has no default app for GPX, so double-clicking a .gpx won't show the route. Open it at gpxviewer.app in a browser, or use Google Earth Pro.
How do I open a GPX file in Google Earth on Mac?
Install Google Earth Pro (free), then use File → Import and select your .gpx file to view the track on the globe.