GPX files explained: importing and exporting routes

GPX is the universal language of routes: how plans move between apps, devices and friends. Two minutes of understanding saves hours of fiddling.

What a GPX file actually is

A plain text file of coordinates. It can hold three things: waypoints (individual places), a route (an ordered plan of points to navigate between) and a track (a breadcrumb trail of where something actually went, often thousands of points). Apps treat these differently, which explains most import surprises.

When you actually need one

• Moving a planned route into a dedicated device (Garmin, TomTom).
• Receiving a route from a club, forum or friend using different software.
• Archiving a ride or drive you recorded and want to repeat.

Route or track: which to import?

If you want turn-by-turn, import as a route and let the app calculate roads between the points. If you want to follow a precise recorded line, import the track. A good app recalculates sensibly either way; a bad one draws a straight line through a lake.

Sharp edges to know about

• Tracks with thousands of points can choke simpler devices; simplify before exporting.
• Waypoint names travel; road choices do not. The receiving app picks its own roads between points, so double-check passes and shortcuts survived.
• Email and messaging apps sometimes rename or compress attachments; share the file, not a screenshot of it.

The easier path

Inside one ecosystem you should never see a file. In Scenic Way, sharing a route is a link: the recipient taps it and gets the same plan, ready to navigate. GPX stays for the border crossings.