Decimal Degrees to DMS Converter

This decimal degrees to DMS converter turns GPS coordinates like 35.6892, 51.3890 into 35° 41′ 21.12″ N, 51° 23′ 20.4″ E, and reads DMS or decimal minutes back into decimal degrees.

Updated
Runs in your browser. Your coordinates are not sent anywhere.

Decimal degrees → DMS

DMS
–
DMS (plain keyboard characters)
–
Degrees and decimal minutes
–

DMS → decimal degrees

Accepts 35°41'21.1"N, 35 41 21.1 N, N 35 41.352 (decimal minutes), or −35.6892. Put latitude first when you enter a pair.

Decimal degrees
–
Open in OpenStreetMap

How to use the Lat/Long to DMS Converter

  1. Enter the Latitude and Longitude in decimal degrees to get DMS.
  2. Or paste a DMS coordinate or pair into the second panel to get decimal degrees.
  3. Choose how many decimals the seconds get, then copy the format you need.

How it works

D = whole part of |decimal|
M = whole part of (|decimal| − D) × 60
S = ((|decimal| − D) × 60 − M) × 60

The sign becomes the hemisphere: positive latitude is N and negative is S; positive longitude is E and negative is W. Going back:

decimal = D + M/60 + S/3600  (negative for S and W)

Examples

  • 35.6892 = 35° 41′ 21.12″ N.
  • −0.1276 (longitude) = 0° 7′ 39.36″ W.
  • 35°41′21.12″N = 35.6892.
  • S 33 52.14 = −33.869.

How precise is each decimal place?

Decimal degreesDMSDistance at the equator
0.1°6′about 11 km
0.01°36″about 1.1 km
0.001°3.6″about 111 m
0.0001°0.36″about 11 m
0.00001°0.036″about 1.1 m

Five decimal places in decimal degrees, or two decimals of a second in DMS, pin a point to about a meter.

Three ways to write a coordinate

Decimal degrees (35.6892) are what web maps and most apps use. Degrees, minutes, and seconds (35° 41′ 21.12″ N) appear on paper maps, in surveying, and in aviation. Degrees and decimal minutes (35° 41.352′ N) are common on marine and handheld GPS units. All three describe the same point; only the way the fraction of a degree is written changes.

Limitations

  • Latitude must be between −90 and 90, and longitude between −180 and 180.
  • Uses WGS 84 coordinates as they are; no datum conversion.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert decimal degrees to DMS?

Take the whole degrees, multiply the remainder by 60 for minutes, then multiply what is left of the minutes by 60 for seconds.

How do I convert DMS to decimal degrees?

Add degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600, and make it negative for S or W.

Which comes first, latitude or longitude?

Latitude (north-south) usually comes first, then longitude (east-west).

Often used together with the Lat/Long to DMS Converter.