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Coordinates Converter — Decimal Degrees & DMS

Science

Convert GPS coordinates between decimal degrees (DD) and degrees-minutes-seconds (DMS) format for latitude and longitude, instantly and accurately.

Reviewed by the thecalcu.com team · Last updated July 4, 2026

Latitude

DMS
28° 36' 50.04" N

Longitude

DMS
77° 12' 32.40" E
Edit either the decimal degrees field or the degree/minute/second/hemisphere fields — both stay in sync automatically.

What is a Coordinates?

The Coordinates Converter converts geographic coordinates between decimal degrees (DD) and degrees-minutes-seconds (DMS) format for both latitude and longitude. Every point on Earth can be described by these two angular measurements, but they show up in two different notations depending on the source: decimal degrees (like 28.6139° N) is what most modern GPS devices, smartphones, and mapping software use, while DMS (like 28° 36' 50.04" N) is the traditional notation still common in surveying, aviation, and nautical navigation.

Enter a coordinate in either format and this tool keeps both notations in sync automatically, for both latitude and longitude simultaneously. For angle conversions outside a geographic context, see the general Angle Converter.

Why Use a Coordinates Converter?

A survey document, historical map, or nautical chart might list a location in DMS, but the mapping app or GPS software you need to enter it into only accepts decimal degrees, or the reverse, when a modern device outputs decimal degrees but a form requires DMS. Manually converting minutes and seconds into a decimal fraction (or vice versa) involves several small arithmetic steps where a single mistake shifts the resulting location noticeably.

This converter removes that risk entirely: type a value into either format and the other updates instantly and accurately. It's especially useful when working with coordinates from older reference documents, land surveys, or international sources that don't standardise on one format.

Who Should Use This Converter?

  • Surveyors and GIS professionals converting coordinates between DMS (common in legal land descriptions) and decimal degrees (used by most GIS software).
  • Pilots and mariners working with aviation charts or nautical navigation systems that traditionally use DMS notation.
  • Travellers and hikers converting a DMS coordinate from a guidebook or trail marker into the decimal format their phone's GPS app expects.
  • Researchers and students working with historical maps, old survey records, or academic papers that report coordinates in DMS.
  • Developers building location-based features who need to normalise coordinate data from mixed-format sources into a single consistent format.

What Insights Does the Coordinates Converter Give You?

Each row shows the same coordinate expressed two ways: the Decimal Degrees field (a single number, positive or negative) and the Deg / Min / Sec / Hemisphere fields (the traditional split notation with an explicit N/S or E/W direction). Editing either representation instantly updates the other, so you always have both formats available without needing to run the conversion twice for latitude and longitude separately.

The DMS output box below each row shows the fully formatted string (e.g. 28° 36' 50.04" N) ready to copy directly into a document, chart annotation, or form field.

How to use this Coordinates calculator

  1. Enter a Decimal Degrees value for Latitude, or edit the Deg / Min / Sec / Hemisphere fields directly.
  2. Watch the corresponding DMS or decimal value update automatically.
  3. Repeat for the Longitude row below it.
  4. Use the Hemisphere dropdown to correctly set N/S for latitude or E/W for longitude.
  5. Click Copy next to either DMS output box to copy the formatted coordinate string.
  6. Read the combined pair of values for use in mapping software, GPS devices, or survey documents.
Show formula & methodology ↓Show less ↑

Formula & Methodology

Decimal Degrees → DMS:

- Degrees = the whole-number part of the decimal value
- Minutes = the decimal remainder × 60, whole-number part
- Seconds = the remainder of that × 60
- Hemisphere = N/E if the original value is positive, S/W if negative

DMS → Decimal Degrees:

Decimal Degrees = Degrees + (Minutes ÷ 60) + (Seconds ÷ 3600), negated if the hemisphere is S or W.

Worked example, converting New Delhi's latitude, 28.6139° N, to DMS:

- Degrees = 28
- Remaining 0.6139 × 60 = 36.834 → Minutes = 36
- Remaining 0.834 × 60 = 50.04 → Seconds = 50.04

Result: 28° 36' 50.04" N, confirmed by converting back: 28 + 36/60 + 50.04/3600 = 28 + 0.6 + 0.0139 = 28.6139°, matching the original input exactly.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between decimal degrees and DMS coordinate format?
Decimal degrees (DD) express a coordinate as a single number with a decimal fraction, like 28.6139° N, while DMS (degrees, minutes, seconds) splits that same value into whole degrees, minutes, and seconds, like 28° 36' 50.04" N. Both represent the exact same location, they're just two different notations, similar to how 1.5 hours and 1 hour 30 minutes describe the same duration.
How do I convert decimal degrees to DMS?
Enter your decimal degree value in the Latitude or Longitude field, and the converter instantly calculates the equivalent degrees, minutes, and seconds. The whole number portion becomes degrees, the decimal fraction is multiplied by 60 to get minutes, and the remaining fraction is multiplied by 60 again to get seconds.
How do I convert DMS to decimal degrees?
Enter values in the Deg, Min, Sec, and Hemisphere fields, and the Decimal Degrees field updates automatically to show the equivalent single-number coordinate. This is the formula GPS devices and mapping software use internally, since most digital maps store coordinates in decimal degrees.
What does the hemisphere letter (N, S, E, W) mean in a coordinate?
The hemisphere letter indicates which side of the equator (N for North, S for South) or which side of the prime meridian (E for East, W for West) a coordinate falls on, since latitude and longitude are always positive magnitudes in DMS notation with the hemisphere carrying the sign information. In decimal degrees, this is instead represented by a negative sign, for example, 33.8688° S is written as -33.8688 in decimal form.
Why do latitude and longitude have different valid ranges?
Latitude ranges from -90° (South Pole) to +90° (North Pole) because it measures angular distance from the equator toward either pole, while longitude ranges from -180° to +180° because it measures angular distance around the full circumference of the Earth from the prime meridian. This converter enforces those ranges automatically.
Which coordinate format do GPS devices and Google Maps use?
Most consumer GPS devices, smartphones, and mapping platforms like Google Maps display and accept decimal degrees by default (e.g. typing '28.6139, 77.2090' into a search bar), even though older navigation, surveying, and aviation contexts still commonly use DMS. This converter helps translate between the two whenever a source (like a survey document or nautical chart) only provides one format.
How precise does a coordinate need to be to pinpoint an exact location?
Each decimal place in decimal degrees roughly corresponds to a smaller area on the ground, four decimal places (like 28.6139) narrows a location to about 11 metres, while six decimal places narrows it to about 11 centimetres. In DMS, one second of arc corresponds to roughly 30 metres at the equator, so seconds are usually given to one or two decimal places for similar precision.
Why does New Delhi's coordinate show as 28° 36' 50.04" N?
New Delhi's approximate coordinate of 28.6139° N converts to DMS by taking the whole degree (28), then multiplying the remaining 0.6139 by 60 to get 36.834 minutes, then multiplying the remaining 0.834 by 60 to get 50.04 seconds, giving 28° 36' 50.04" N. This is the default example loaded in the converter above.
Can I convert a full coordinate pair (latitude and longitude) at once?
Yes, the converter includes separate rows for latitude and longitude, and both convert simultaneously as you type, so you can work with a complete coordinate pair (like from a GPS device or survey document) without switching between two separate tools.
What happens if I enter a hemisphere that doesn't match the sign convention?
The Hemisphere dropdown only offers the two valid options for each field (N/S for latitude, E/W for longitude), and selecting one automatically applies the correct positive or negative sign to the decimal degrees value. This prevents the common error of pairing, say, a positive decimal value with a 'S' hemisphere label, which would represent contradictory information.
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