Inspect Geospatial Files Online — View Metadata, Layers, Fields and CRS
Free browser-based inspection tools for geospatial files. View layer names, feature counts, attribute schemas, coordinate reference systems, and spatial extent — all without opening QGIS, ArcGIS, or any desktop GIS software.
What is geospatial file inspection?
Geospatial file inspection reads the metadata and structural properties of a spatial data file without rendering it on a map. Rather than displaying geometry, an inspector reports what is inside: how many layers, how many features per layer, which fields exist and their data types, which CRS is assigned, and the bounding extent of the data.
Inspection is typically the first step when working with an unfamiliar file — before converting, reprojecting, or analysing, you need to know whether the CRS is correct, whether the expected field names are present, and whether feature counts look right. These tools use GDAL/OGR internally and expose the same information as running ogrinfo or gdalinfo on the command line, but without requiring any local installation.
Common use cases
Verify CRS before conversion
Check the coordinate reference system of a file before converting or reprojecting. A missing or incorrect CRS is the most common cause of data appearing in the wrong location.
Audit field names and types
Inspect the attribute schema of a Shapefile or GeoJSON before importing into a database — confirm field names, data types, and whether expected columns are present.
Check feature counts and layer structure
Verify that a GeoPackage or File Geodatabase contains the expected layers and that each layer has the correct number of features after a conversion or export.
Diagnose raster properties
View band count, data type, no-data value, pixel size, and spatial resolution of a GeoTIFF before performing raster analysis or publishing as a tile service.
How to use
- 1
Choose the inspector for your file format from the links above, or use the universal File Inspector for any supported format.
- 2
Upload your file — drop a GeoJSON, Shapefile ZIP, GeoPackage, GeoTIFF, or other supported format onto the upload zone.
- 3
Review the metadata report — layer names, feature counts, field schemas, CRS, and spatial extent are displayed immediately.
Available tools
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| Universal File Inspector | Inspect any GDAL/OGR-supported vector or raster file. |
| GeoJSON Inspector | View layers, features, fields, CRS, and extent of a GeoJSON file. |
| Shapefile Inspector | View attributes, CRS, and metadata of a Shapefile ZIP. |
| GeoTIFF Inspector | View band info, data types, resolution, and CRS of a GeoTIFF. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between inspecting and viewing a file?
Inspecting reads the structural metadata of a file — layers, fields, CRS, extent — without rendering geometry. Viewing renders the geometry on an interactive map. Inspection is faster and works on large files that would be slow to render.
Can I inspect a file that has no CRS defined?
Yes — the inspector will report "Unknown CRS" or display the raw PROJ string if the CRS metadata is missing or unrecognised. Use the Assign CRS tool to add projection metadata to the file.
What information does the GeoTIFF Inspector show?
The GeoTIFF Inspector reports band count, data type per band (e.g., Float32, Byte), no-data value, pixel dimensions, spatial resolution, CRS, and the bounding extent in the native CRS.
Can I inspect a multi-layer file like GeoPackage?
The universal File Inspector lists all layers in a multi-layer file such as GeoPackage or File Geodatabase, along with the feature count, geometry type, and field schema for each layer.
How large a file can I inspect?
Inspection reads only metadata, not the full geometry, so it is much faster than viewing or converting. Most files up to several hundred megabytes can be inspected in a few seconds. Very large rasters (multi-gigabyte GeoTIFF) may take longer as the file must be read into the browser.