How to import kml files into ArcMap

1) In Google Earth, save your mapped points, lines, or polygons as kml by right
clicking the layer in the table of contents and choosing Save As.
***Steps 2 4 are unnecessary if using ArcGIS 9.3***
2) Open the kml file in wordpad or notepad.
3) Change the 2.1 to 2.0 in the 2
nd
line of the file. It should look like this:
<kml xmlns="http://earth.google.com/kml/2.1">
Change it to:
<kml xmlns="http://earth.google.com/kml/2.0">
4) Save the kml and close.
5) Open the ArcMap .mxd you want to import the kml into.
6) Click Tools Extensions. Check the box next to Data Interoperability, click
Close.
7) Click Window ArcToolbox to open ArcToolbox. Click the +next to Data
Interoperability to expand it.
8) Double click Quick Import.
9) Click the button next to Input Dataset.
10) For Format choose Google Earth Data Exchange (KML), for Dataset choose your
kml file, and for Coordinate System click the button, then Select
Geographic Coordinate Systems World WGS 1984.prj Add.
It should look like this:




The Output Staging Geodatabase will be automatically entered, as a subfolder in the same
directory as the kml file. Click OK, and the kml will import.

11) Click File Add Data, and browse to the Output Staging Geodatabase folder
specified above. In this geoDB will be a feature class named Placemark_point or
something_SSSSSS_point (or line if your kml is a line, poly for polygon). See
below



Select this Placemark_point and click Add. Your kml will be added to the map, retaining
attributes as well.

12) Right click your Placemark_point in the legend, and choose Data Export Data.
Choose the data frame option, and specify the output shapefile location. This
will convert your Placemark_point dataset into a shapefile with a name of your
choosing, projected in the same coordinate systems that the rest of your map is.
See below.



When prompted to add the layer to the map, choose Yes. Now this shapefile is ready
to be edited, or analyzed for whatever you choose.