Shapefile Viewer
Online Shapefile viewer — upload a zipped .shp bundle to view it on an interactive map without GIS software
🔒 All processing happens locally in your browser. Your files never leave your device.
What is a Shapefile?
The Shapefile is a vector data format originally developed by ESRI for their ArcGIS software. Despite being decades old, it remains one of the most widely used GIS formats in the world — government agencies, utility companies, cadastre offices, and consulting firms still routinely exchange data as Shapefiles.
A Shapefile is actually a set of related files: .shp holds the geometry, .dbf holds the attribute table, .shx is a spatial index, and .prj records the projection. They must travel together — that is why this viewer accepts a ZIP archive.
When you would use an online Shapefile viewer
Previewing a downloaded dataset
Open-data portals, government registries, and consultants often deliver data as Shapefiles. Drop the ZIP here to confirm coverage and attributes before importing into QGIS or your own pipeline.
Checking a deliverable from a contractor
Confirm the Shapefile a contractor or surveyor delivered actually contains the right features in the right place, without needing to install ArcGIS or set up a desktop project.
Quick sanity check without QGIS
You just need to look at one Shapefile. Skip the desktop GIS workflow and view it in your browser — particularly useful from a laptop without GIS software installed.
Sharing with non-GIS colleagues
Send a Shapefile ZIP plus this link to anyone — they can view the data without installing software or learning GIS.
How to view a Shapefile online
- Locate the Shapefile components on your machine — typically
.shp,.dbf,.shx, and.prj. - Select all of them and create a single ZIP archive (right-click → Compress / Send to → Compressed folder).
- Drag that ZIP onto the viewer above, or click to browse for it.
- The features render on an interactive map. Click any feature to read its attributes from the .dbf table.
Everything happens in your browser — no file is uploaded to a server. Safe for cadastral, utility, or otherwise sensitive Shapefile data.
Supported Shapefile geometry types
- • Point and MultiPoint
- • PolyLine (LineString) and MultiPolyLine
- • Polygon and MultiPolygon
- • PointZ / PolylineZ / PolygonZ (3D variants)
- • PointM / PolylineM / PolygonM (measured)
- • ZIP archives containing the .shp bundle
- • .dbf attribute tables (read-only)
- • .prj projection files (auto-reprojected to WGS 84 for display)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I view a Shapefile online?
Drop a ZIP containing your Shapefile components (.shp, .dbf, .prj, and any .shx, .cpg) onto the viewer above. The features render on an interactive map immediately — no QGIS, ArcGIS, or any installed GIS software required.
Why do I need to upload a ZIP?
A Shapefile is not a single file — it is several companion files that must stay together: .shp (geometry), .dbf (attributes), .shx (index), and .prj (projection). The browser cannot upload a folder, so wrap the files in a single ZIP archive and drop that in.
What if my Shapefile has no .prj projection file?
The viewer will still render the data, but it will assume the coordinates are in WGS 84 (EPSG:4326). If the original data was in a different projection (such as a state plane or UTM zone), features will appear in the wrong place on the map. Adding the .prj before zipping fixes this.
What geometry types does this Shapefile viewer support?
All standard ESRI Shapefile geometry types: Point, MultiPoint, PolyLine (LineString), Polygon, plus their measured (M) and 3D (Z) variants. Multipart features (MultiPolygon, MultiLineString) are also handled.
Is my Shapefile uploaded to a server?
No. The ZIP is unpacked and parsed entirely in your browser. Your data is never uploaded — safe for confidential boundaries, internal cadastral data, or anything proprietary.
How large a Shapefile can the viewer handle?
Most Shapefiles up to several hundred megabytes will load, though performance depends on your browser and machine. For very large datasets, consider running the file through our Shapefile simplifier first, or use our universal vector viewer which supports streaming larger files.
Can I convert the Shapefile to another format after viewing?
Yes. Once the data looks right, use our Shapefile to GeoJSON, Shapefile to KML, Shapefile to DXF, or other conversion tools — they all run the same way in your browser.
Shapefile is the most common format exchanged between desktop GIS users — viewing the file here lets you quickly confirm geometry, check column names, and verify the coordinate reference system without opening ArcGIS or QGIS.