UTM to Lat/Long Converter
Convert UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) coordinates to latitude/longitude, or the other way around, instantly in your browser using the WGS84 datum. Nothing is uploaded — works offline once loaded.
What is UTM?
UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) divides the Earth into 60 north–south zones, each 6° of longitude wide, and projects each zone onto a flat plane using metres instead of degrees. Because coordinates are in metres on a locally flat grid, UTM is the preferred system for surveying, engineering, GIS and military mapping, where measuring straight-line distances directly from coordinates matters more than global coverage.
How to use this tool
- Pick a direction — choose "UTM → Lat/Long" if you have a UTM grid reference, or "Lat/Long → UTM" if you have decimal degree coordinates.
- For UTM → Lat/Long: enter the zone number (1–60), select the hemisphere (N or S), then type in the easting and northing values in metres.
- For Lat/Long → UTM: enter latitude and longitude in decimal degrees (use a minus sign for South or West, e.g.
-33.8568). - Click Convert to see the decoded result on the right — decimal degrees, DMS, and a Google Maps link for UTM input, or zone/easting/northing for lat/long input.
- Copy the result using the copy button under the output, or open the point directly in Google Maps.
- Not sure what your numbers look like? Tap one of the example buttons (Paris, Sydney, New York) to see a working sample instantly.
How a UTM coordinate is written
A full UTM coordinate looks like 33T 500000 5000000: the zone number (1–60), an optional latitude band letter or hemisphere (N/S), the easting in metres from the zone's central meridian (with a 500,000 m false easting so it is never negative), and the northing in metres from the equator (with a 10,000,000 m false northing added in the southern hemisphere).
Supported conversions
| Direction | Inputs | Outputs |
|---|---|---|
| UTM → Lat/Long | Zone, hemisphere, easting, northing | Decimal degrees, DMS, Google Maps link |
| Lat/Long → UTM | Latitude, longitude (decimal degrees) | Zone, hemisphere, easting, northing |
Who uses a UTM converter
- Surveyors and civil engineers working with total stations, RTK GNSS and CAD software that output UTM grid coordinates
- GIS analysts moving data between UTM-projected shapefiles and WGS84 lat/long web maps
- Hikers and search-and-rescue teams reading UTM grid references off topographic maps and paper compasses
- Military and emergency services using MGRS/UTM grid references for coordination
- Drone and mapping software users converting ground control point coordinates between formats
Why use this tool
All calculations run client-side in JavaScript using the standard WGS84 ellipsoid and the widely used Snyder transverse Mercator formulas. No coordinate you enter is uploaded or logged. There is no login, no ads blocking the form, and it loads instantly since it has no external dependencies. It works equally well on desktop and mobile.
UTM zone number quick reference
The UTM zone number is calculated as floor((longitude + 180) / 6) + 1. For example, London (about 0° longitude) sits on the boundary of zones 30 and 31, Delhi (about 77°E) falls in zone 43, and Los Angeles (about -118°W) falls in zone 11. This tool calculates the correct zone for you automatically when converting from latitude/longitude to UTM.
Common problems when converting UTM coordinates
- Wrong hemisphere selected — using N when the point is actually in the southern hemisphere shifts the result by roughly 10,000 km northing; if your latitude comes back wildly wrong, flip the hemisphere
- Zone off by one — points near a zone boundary can legitimately be surveyed in an adjacent zone; if the result looks a few hundred kilometres off, try the neighbouring zone number
- Mixing datums — this tool assumes WGS84. Older UTM data referenced to NAD27, ED50 or a local national datum will be off by tens to hundreds of metres; you may need a datum shift first
- Easting/northing swapped — easting is always the smaller "horizontal" number near 500,000 m, northing is the larger "vertical" number; swapping them produces an invalid or wildly wrong position
Frequently asked questions
What datum does this converter use?
WGS84, the datum used by GPS and virtually all modern web maps, including Google Maps and OpenStreetMap.
What is the false easting and false northing?
False easting (500,000 m) is added so easting values are never negative within a zone. False northing (10,000,000 m) is added to northing values in the southern hemisphere so they are also never negative.
Can I convert coordinates near the equator or a zone boundary?
Yes. Accuracy stays high across a full zone. Right at a zone boundary, some organisations extend the neighbouring zone's grid slightly rather than switching zones, which this tool does not do automatically — enter the zone number your source data actually uses.
Does this handle UPS coordinates for the polar regions?
No. Above about 84°N and below about 80°S, UTM is replaced by the Universal Polar Stereographic (UPS) system, which uses a different projection and is outside the scope of this converter.
Is my coordinate data uploaded anywhere?
No. All conversion happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing is sent to a server.