# How to Edit a GPX Route: Add, Move and Remove Waypoints

Change an imported GPX route on the map: move points, add legs that follow trails, trim, reverse, split or merge — and keep every earlier version.

Updated 2026-10-26 · TrailScout blog

## Quick answer

Import the GPX file into TrailScout, open it and press Edit. Drag any point to move it — the line between points follows trails and roads again — click the line to add a point, click a point to delete it, make a straight line to it or split the route there. Reverse, trim, append another route, then Save: the previous version is kept under Versions, and you can export the result as GPX.

## Key takeaways

- Any imported GPX can be edited in the same route builder used to draw new routes.
- Each saved change keeps the previous version — up to 20 — ready to restore.
- Points you mark on a route (“Mark a spot here”, pinned POIs) are saved in the GPX as waypoints.
- Split one route into two, or append another route to merge them.

You found a great route, but it starts on the wrong side of town, uses a road you'd rather avoid, and misses the viewpoint everyone talks about. Here is how to change any GPX route on the map without starting from scratch.

## How to edit a GPX route

1. [Import the GPX file](blog/open-and-view-gpx-file-online.html) into [TrailScout](index.html?app) and open it.
2. Press **Edit** in the route panel. The route becomes waypoints and legs in the route builder.
3. **Move a point**: drag it. The legs on each side are routed again along trails and roads.
4. **Add a point**: click the line where you want it (or drag the small handle in the middle of a leg).
5. **Delete a point**: click it and choose **Delete point**.
6. **Straight line**: click a point and choose **Straight line to here** for a path the map doesn't know.
7. Press **Save**.

The routing profile in the panel (MTB, gravel, hiking…) decides how new legs are found. See [how to plan a route that follows trails](blog/plan-mountain-bike-route-on-trails.html).

*Screenshot: The route builder with waypoints and legs — A route in the builder — every point can be moved, and the legs follow the trails.*

## Bigger changes

| You want to… | Do this |
|---|---|
| ride it the other way | **Reverse the route** |
| cut off the start or end | delete the first or last point |
| make it a loop | **Back to the start (loop)** |
| come back the same way | **Out and back** |
| make two routes from one | click a point → **Split the route here** |
| join two routes | **Append another route…** and pick one from your library |
| undo a change | **Undo** / **Redo** |

## Waypoints: mark places on the route

Points of interest you want in the GPX — a spring, a hut, a tricky junction:

- Right-click (or long-press) the map near the route → **Mark a spot here**, give it a name and a note.
- In the **POIs** tab, **pin** a point of interest to the route.
- On a place card, **Mark on route**.

They are exported as GPX waypoints, so your bike computer or watch shows them too, and Bike GPS announces them as you approach.

## Name, description and tags

**Details** in the route menu sets the route's name, a description, tags and the difficulty. They're kept with the route and the name goes into the GPX.

## Versions: nothing is lost

Every **Save** in the builder keeps the previous version. Open **Versions** in the route's menu to see the last 20 with their dates and **Restore** any of them (the current one becomes a version too). Want a separate copy instead? **Duplicate** the route first.

## Export the edited route

When you're happy, **export it as GPX** for your device or share it. See [how to export a route as GPX](blog/export-route-as-gpx.html).

## Frequently asked questions

### Will editing change the original GPX file on my computer?
No. The imported copy in TrailScout changes; the original file stays as it was. Export a new GPX when you're done.

### Can I edit a recorded ride?
Yes, like any route. Recordings with several days keep their days as stages.

### Does editing keep the heights from the GPX?
Edited legs get heights from the terrain model. You can switch the whole route between GPX and terrain heights in its details.

### How do I merge two GPX files?
Import both, open the first, press Edit, then **Append another route…** and choose the second.