Paste decimal GPS coordinates and get degrees, minutes, seconds — the format used on nautical charts and legacy GPS devices.
Paste your coordinates and convert to all 27 formats instantly.
Open GPSwitch ConverterDecimal degrees are the default format in most modern apps. But printed maps, nautical charts, aviation procedures, and some GPS receivers use DMS — the older and more human-readable notation.
If you are planning a sailing route, filing a flight plan, or reading topographic maps alongside a smartphone, you will need to move between these two formats frequently.
For 48.8583°N: Degrees = 48, Minutes = 51 (0.8583 × 60), Seconds ≈ 30". Result: 48° 51' 30" N
48° 51' 30" N — standard with symbols48d 51m 30s N — letter notationN 48 51.5 — degrees decimal minutes (DDM)48:51:30N — colon-separatedDegrees = floor(decimal). Minutes = floor((decimal - degrees) × 60). Seconds = ((decimal - degrees) × 60 - minutes) × 60. For negative coordinates (South/West), take the absolute value first, then apply S or W direction.
DDM (Degrees Decimal Minutes) keeps degrees as whole numbers but expresses minutes with a decimal, e.g. 48° 51.5' N. DMS goes one level further and splits the decimal minutes into whole minutes and seconds. GPSwitch outputs both.
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