Coordinates Converter

Convert coordinates between decimal degrees, degrees-minutes-seconds, and degrees-decimal minutes.

Supports signed latitude and longitude values in all three formats.

Updated August 9, 2026

CreatorFrank Zhao

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Introduction

A geographic coordinate can be written several ways, and the same spot on Earth looks completely different depending on the format. The Coordinates Converter takes a latitude and longitude in one format and instantly shows the other two, so you never have to do the arithmetic by hand.

The three formats this converter works with are:

DD — Decimal degrees: a single signed number, for example $48.8584$ .
DMS — Degrees, minutes and seconds: for example $48^{\circ}\,51'\,30.24"$ .
DDM — Degrees and decimal minutes: for example $48^{\circ}\,51.504'$ .

Anyone who moves coordinates between GPS devices, maps, spreadsheets, GIS tools or academic datasets runs into format mismatches. This converter shows all three formats side by side — every box is editable, so you can type into whichever format you already have and the other two update automatically. A single toggle switches between direction letters (N/S/E/W) and signed values.

How to use / quick start

1Type your latitude and longitude into any of the format boxes — decimal degrees (DD), degrees-minutes-seconds (DMS), or degrees-decimal minutes (DDM). Every box is editable, so you can start from whichever format you already have.
2With My coordinates have letters switched on (the default), enter positive values and pick N/S/E/W from the direction selectors — negative numbers are rejected because the direction is carried by the letters. Switch it off to type signed values directly, for example $-33.8688$ for a southern latitude.
3The other format boxes update automatically as you type, and the Result section shows the complete coordinate pair in all three formats, ready to copy.

Worked example — Sydney Opera House (33.8568° S, 151.2153° E)

With letters on, type $33.8568$ into the latitude decimal-degrees box and pick S for the latitude direction. The converter splits the decimal part into minutes and seconds:

M = (0.8568 \times 60)

=

51.408

S = (0.408 \times 60)

=

24.48

So the DMS box reads $33^{\circ}\,51'\,24.48"$ with the S direction, and the DDM box reads $33^{\circ}\,51.408'$ . If you switch letters off, the same spot is written as $-33.8568$ (decimal) or $-33^{\circ}\,51'\,24.48"$ (DMS).

Because every field is editable and the conversion is two-way, you can correct any single value and the rest follow. The Result section always shows the full coordinate pair in all three formats, so you can copy whichever one your next tool expects.

Real-world examples

Eiffel Tower, Paris

A map app shows the Eiffel Tower at 48.8584, 2.2945. To put that into a GIS field that expects degrees-minutes-seconds, type both decimal values into the latitude and longitude boxes and read:

48.8584^{\circ} = 48^{\circ}\,51'\,30.24"

2.2945^{\circ} = 2^{\circ}\,17'\,40.2"

Both are north and east, so both values stay positive.

New York City, crossing hemispheres

New York sits at roughly 40.7128, 74.0060 west of Greenwich. With My coordinates have letters on, type the magnitude 74.006 and pick W for the longitude direction:

74.006^{\circ}\,\mathrm{W}

=

74^{\circ}\,0'\,21.6"\,\mathrm{W}

If you switch letters off, the same coordinate uses a minus sign instead: the longitude becomes $-74.006$ , and the DMS form is $-74^{\circ}\,0'\,21.6"$ .

Calculation method

Every format is built from the same angle: there are $60$ minutes in a degree and $60$ seconds in a minute. The converter first reduces anything you type to decimal degrees, then expands that value into the other formats.

From DMS to decimal degrees

\mathrm{DD} = D + \frac{M}{60} + \frac{S}{3600}

The reverse direction splits the fractional part: the whole degrees come from the integer part of the absolute value, minutes are the leftover multiplied by $60$ , and seconds are what remains after that.

D = \lfloor |\mathrm{DD}| \rfloor

M = \lfloor (|\mathrm{DD}| - D) \cdot 60 \rfloor

S = ((|\mathrm{DD}| - D) \cdot 60 - M) \cdot 60

From DDM to decimal degrees

\mathrm{DD} = D + \frac{M}{60}

Going the other way, the minutes simply become the fractional degrees multiplied by $60$ :

M = (|\mathrm{DD}| - D) \cdot 60

A negative latitude or longitude means south or west respectively. The converter keeps that sign on the degree field and treats minutes and seconds as magnitudes, which matches how DMS and DDM coordinates are normally written.

Tips & best practices

Keep the hemisphere straight
A missing sign is the single most common coordinate error. With letters on, south latitudes and west longitudes are set with the N/S/E/W selectors, and negative numbers are rejected because the direction is carried by the letters. With letters off, they are written with a minus sign, for example $-33.8688$ . Either way, always check the hemisphere before trusting a result.
Don't mix decimal minutes with seconds
$51.408'$ in DDM is not the same as $51'\,24.48"$ in DMS, even though they describe the same angle. If a value has a single number after the degrees, it is usually DDM; if it has two numbers separated by a prime and double-prime, it is DMS.
Watch the valid ranges
Latitude never exceeds $90^{\circ}$ and longitude never exceeds $180^{\circ}$ . If you see an out-of-range value, the sign or the order of the latitude/longitude pair is probably reversed.
Check the longitude comes second
Some systems list longitude first, others list latitude first. When pasting a coordinate pair, confirm which field is which before converting, so a spot in Australia doesn't end up as a spot in the middle of the ocean.

Frequently asked questions

Which format should I use?

Decimal degrees (DD) is the default for most digital tools, GPS receivers and mapping libraries because it is a single number per axis. DMS is common on printed maps, aviation and marine charts, and some surveying records. DDM is frequently used in certain GPS devices and aviation waypoint formats. Convert to whatever the tool you are feeding the coordinates into expects.

What does “My coordinates have letters” do?

It chooses how you express the hemisphere. With it on (the default), you enter positive values and pick N/S/E/W from the direction selectors — negative numbers are rejected. With it off, you type signed values directly, where a minus sign means south or west. Both describe the same coordinate; the toggle just changes the input convention.

Why do my minutes sometimes look like they “carry over”?

Because there are 60 minutes per degree and 60 seconds per minute. A coordinate like $44.9999^{\circ}$ converts to $44^{\circ}\,59'\,59.64"$ , which looks close to $45^{\circ}$ — the small remainder is simply the seconds part of the next degree.

Can I convert just one coordinate instead of both?

Yes. The latitude and longitude sections are independent, so you can fill in only the latitude or only the longitude and the matching format is still converted for that axis alone.

Limitations

This converter changes how a coordinate is written — it does not change where a coordinate points, and it does not account for map projections or the shape of the Earth.
Latitude must stay within $-90^{\circ}$ to $90^{\circ}$ and longitude within $-180^{\circ}$ to $180^{\circ}$ ; values outside these ranges are marked as invalid.
Seconds and minutes are displayed at full precision with only cosmetic rounding, so a converted value is never less accurate than the number you typed.
If you are working with formal surveying records or legal boundary data, always confirm the coordinate reference system and datum used by your source.

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