About the Degrees Minutes Seconds Converter
Angles and map positions are written in two ways: decimal degrees, such as 40.7128, and degrees, minutes and seconds, such as 40° 42′ 46.08″. Maps, GPS devices, aviation charts and surveys use both. This converter changes between them in either direction. For plain angles it simply converts, and for map coordinates you can mark the value as latitude or longitude, so it adds the correct compass letter, N or S for latitude and E or W for longitude, and checks the range. Seconds are shown with up to four decimals, and the calculator handles the rounding that carries a minute into a degree.
Updated October 2026
How to use the Degrees Minutes Seconds Converter
- 1Choose decimal degrees to DMS, or DMS to decimal degrees.
- 2Choose whether the value is a plain angle, a latitude or a longitude.
- 3Enter the decimal degrees, or the degrees, minutes and seconds.
- 4For DMS input, set the direction as positive or negative.
- 5Read the converted value and copy it.
Sample conversions
- New York latitude 40.7128 = 40° 42′ 46.08″ N.
- Sydney latitude −33.865 = 33° 51′ 54″ S.
- Sydney longitude 151.2093 = 151° 12′ 33.48″ E.
- Half a degree = 0° 30′ 0″.
- 12° 30′ 0″ = 12.5 degrees.
Why two systems exist
Degrees, minutes and seconds come from Babylonian base-60 arithmetic and were used for centuries in navigation and astronomy. Decimal degrees are easier for computers and spreadsheets, so web maps and databases use them. Converting accurately matters because a small slip in the minutes can move a position by a kilometre.
If you need to type coordinates into a map search, most web maps accept decimal degrees with a comma, such as 40.7128, -74.0060, and also several DMS styles with the degree, minute and second symbols. Copying the result from this tool is safest, since typed apostrophes and quotation marks are sometimes read differently. Always double check the hemisphere letter or sign, as a missing minus sign puts the point on the wrong side of the world.
Tips
Write the direction, not just the sign, in text that people will read. Do not round seconds too early: two decimals of a second is about 30 centimetres. Check that latitude comes first in a pair, as most map links expect, though some systems use longitude first, so confirm the order for your tool.
Related tools
The Angle Converter handles degrees, radians and gradians, the Distance Calculator and the Unit Converter work out lengths, the Inverse Trig Calculator finds angles from ratios and the Time Zone Converter helps when positions are tied to places around the world.
Features
- Decimal to DMS and back
- Latitude and longitude with N, S, E, W
- Range checks for map coordinates
- Seconds with decimals
- Handles rounding at 60 seconds
- Radians shown for decimal results
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert decimal degrees to DMS?
Take the whole number as degrees. Multiply the decimal part by 60 to get minutes, keep the whole number of minutes, and multiply the remaining decimal by 60 for seconds. For 40.7128 you get 40°, 42′ and 46.08″.
How do I convert DMS to decimal degrees?
Divide the minutes by 60 and the seconds by 3,600 and add both to the degrees. 40° 42′ 46.08″ is 40 + 0.7 + 0.0128 = 40.7128.
What do N, S, E and W mean?
North and south mark latitude, the distance from the equator, from 0 to 90 degrees. East and west mark longitude, the distance from the prime meridian, from 0 to 180 degrees. In decimal form, south and west are negative.
Why does my GPS give a different format?
Devices can show decimal degrees, degrees and decimal minutes, or full DMS, and the choice is usually in the settings. They describe the same point, but you have to be consistent when copying coordinates into other tools.
How accurate is one second of latitude?
One second of latitude is about 30.9 metres on the ground, one minute about 1.85 kilometres and one degree about 111 kilometres. Longitude distances shrink toward the poles.
Can I use it for angles that are not map positions?
Yes. Leave Use as set to A plain angle. A negative angle is shown with a minus sign, and values beyond 360 degrees are allowed.