GeoJSON Viewer Online — Open & Inspect Files

Quick answer: Open a GeoJSON or JSON file online to inspect its geometry and attributes on an interactive map. Create new data in the GeoJSON editor, or validate an existing file before sharing it.

Prepare your file and check the result

Before opening

Use a FeatureCollection with longitude, latitude coordinates. Keep useful attributes in each feature’s properties.

Before sharing or converting

Check geometry and feature count, then validate the file before publishing. Swapped latitude and longitude can place a valid file in the wrong location.

Download a small GEOJSON example

Open this example in the tool above. Expect three synthetic points near London: West point, East point and North point. Coordinates span −0.13 to −0.12 longitude and 51.50 to 51.51 latitude. These are demonstration locations, not survey data.

Validate GeoJSON before sharing →

How to open GeoJSON online

Free online GeoJSON viewer — open, inspect, and validate .geojson and .json files in your browser. View features on an interactive map, browse attributes, and convert to Shapefile, KML, GPKG, and more with no upload. Upload or paste your GeoJSON content directly.

Privacy

Files are processed on your device in the browser. GeoDataViewer does not upload your datasets to a server for viewing.

Common issues

If a dataset uses multiple required sidecar files, make sure you provide the complete set together. For best results, keep all sidecars in one zip archive when applicable.

Related tools

Measure distances, areas, elevation, and radius circles using the tools menu, then come back to inspect your GeoJSON layer on the map.

What is GeoJSON?

GeoJSON is a JSON-based vector format used to move geographic features between APIs, web maps, scripts, and lightweight desktop workflows.

GeoJSON stores geometry and attributes together in one text document, which makes it easy to inspect, diff, and exchange without special database tooling.

It became the default interchange format for many browser mapping stacks because developers can read it directly and feed it into JavaScript, REST APIs, and data pipelines with very little ceremony.

How large GeoJSON files are rendered

Smaller layers use a normal MapLibre GeoJSON source. When a layer has more than 50,000 features, or the large-data pipeline explicitly marks it for tiled rendering, GeoDataViewer automatically uses @maplibre/geojson-vt to build a client-side vector-tile index.

The library slices GeoJSON on the fly in the browser, with no separate tile server. It applies zoom-appropriate simplification, then MapLibre renders the resulting vector tiles for responsive pan and zoom.

The full input is still read and indexed in browser memory; this is not streaming prebuilt tiles. Feature inspection and per-feature styling are limited in this large-data mode.

Read more in the official MapLibre geojson-vt documentation .

What is GeoJSON used for?

Publishing vector features to web clients, map APIs, and modern frontend frameworks.
Moving small to medium sized datasets between ETL scripts, notebooks, and lightweight GIS tools.
Debugging geometry and attribute issues because the file is plain text and easy to inspect.

Common use cases

Download packages from open data portals and web services.
Custom overlays in MapLibre, Leaflet, OpenLayers, and other browser map libraries.
Quick QA workflows where analysts need to validate a few features before exporting again.

Strengths

Human-readable JSON structure makes review and debugging straightforward.
Broad support across web mapping tools, APIs, and programming languages.
Single-file distribution is simple compared with multi-file legacy formats.

Limitations

Text encoding makes large datasets heavier than binary or tiled alternatives.
Classic GeoJSON assumes WGS 84 style web mapping workflows, which is not ideal for every CRS-heavy pipeline.
It is not the best long-term storage choice for large transactional datasets or tiled delivery.

File extensions and sidecar files

.geojson

Common extension for a full GeoJSON feature collection or single geometry document.

.json

Generic JSON extension sometimes used for GeoJSON, but it can be ambiguous outside geospatial tooling.

Convert GeoJSON online

GeoJSON to ESRI Shapefile

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to GeoPackage

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to PMTiles

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to CSV

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to AutoCAD DXF

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to FlatGeobuf

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to File Geodatabase

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to GeoRSS

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to GML

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to GPX

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to JSON-FG

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to KML

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to MapInfo

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to MBTiles

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to Mapbox Vector Tiles

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to SpatiaLite / SQLite

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

GeoJSON to Microsoft Excel

Open, preview, and convert GeoJSON locally in your browser.

Open GeoJSON without QGIS or ArcGIS

You do not need QGIS, ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap, or any desktop GIS software to open and inspect GeoJSON files. This page is a browser-based GeoJSON viewer: it loads your file locally, renders the geometry and attributes on an interactive map, and never uploads your data to a server. If you just need to look at a dataset, check coordinates, or share what you see, you can skip the desktop GIS install entirely.

✓ No installation — open GeoJSON directly in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari.
✓ No QGIS license, ArcGIS Pro subscription, or ArcMap setup required.
✓ Private by default — files are processed on your device, nothing is uploaded.
✓ Instant preview — drag a file in and see the map render in seconds.
✓ Good for one-off checks: a quick look at attributes, geometry, or extent before deciding whether to open the data in a full GIS.

If you later need advanced analysis, editing, or geoprocessing, you can still open the same GeoJSON file in QGIS (free and open source), ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap, or Global Mapper — but for viewing and quick checks, this online GeoJSON viewer is all you need.

GeoJSON Viewer FAQ

What is a GeoJSON file?

GeoJSON is a JSON-based format for encoding geographic features like points, lines, and polygons, defined by RFC 7946. It is the most common interchange format for web maps and GIS APIs.

How do I open a GeoJSON file online?

Use the free online GeoJSON viewer at geodataviewer.com/open-geojson-online. Drag and drop your .geojson file to render it on a map, inspect attributes, and validate it — all in your browser with no upload.

Is GeoJSON good for large datasets?

GeoJSON is text-based, and its in-memory representation can be costly at scale. Smaller layers use the normal GeoJSON source. When a layer has more than 50,000 features or enters an explicitly marked large-data/tiled-rendering path, GeoDataViewer uses @maplibre/geojson-vt in the browser, where it slices and simplifies vector tiles for smoother interaction. The full input is still read and indexed in browser memory. For very large publishing or analysis workflows, consider prebuilt vector tiles, FlatGeobuf, GeoParquet, or GeoPackage.

Can I convert GeoJSON to Shapefile?

Yes. Use the free GeoJSON to Shapefile converter at geodataviewer.com/geojson-to-shapefile. The conversion runs locally in your browser using GDAL — no upload required.

What is the difference between GeoJSON and Shapefile?

GeoJSON is a single text-based file with broad web mapping support, while Shapefile is a legacy multi-file binary format with broad desktop GIS support. GeoJSON is better for web and API workflows; Shapefile is still common in enterprise and government delivery.

Can I open GeoJSON without QGIS or ArcGIS?

Yes. This page is a free online GeoJSON viewer that runs entirely in your browser — no QGIS installation, no ArcGIS license, and no plugins. Just add your GeoJSON file and it is rendered locally on an interactive map.

Do I need ArcGIS to view GeoJSON files?

No. ArcGIS is one option for working with GeoJSON, but it is commercial software and overkill if you only need to view a file. GeoDataViewer opens GeoJSON in your browser for free, with no account and no upload, so you can inspect the data before deciding whether a full GIS is worth it.

Can I open GeoJSON without ArcGIS Pro or ArcMap?

Yes. ArcMap has been retired by Esri and ArcGIS Pro requires a paid subscription, but neither is needed to view GeoJSON files. This browser-based GeoJSON viewer opens your file locally for free — no ArcGIS Pro license, no ArcMap install, and no account required.

Is there a free GeoJSON viewer with no installation?

Yes — this page. GeoDataViewer is a completely free GeoJSON viewer that runs in your browser. There is nothing to install and nothing to download: open the page, add your GeoJSON file, and inspect the map and attributes immediately.

Is GeoDataViewer a QGIS alternative?

For viewing, inspecting, and converting GeoJSON files, yes — GeoDataViewer covers those needs entirely in the browser with zero setup. QGIS remains the better choice for deep analysis, geoprocessing, and large production workflows. The two complement each other: use this viewer for quick checks and QGIS when you need the full toolbox.