How to Draw a Radius Circle in Google Earth with KML

To draw a radius circle in Google Earth, generate a KML circle around your centre coordinates with a chosen radius, then open the downloaded .kml file in Google Earth or Google My Maps. Because Google Earth ships without a native circle tool, the fastest route is to create the shape as a KML polygon that approximates a perfect ring, then import it in a couple of clicks.

This guide walks through exactly how to build that circle, why a KML "circle" is really a many-sided polygon, and how to pick a radius, colours and smoothness that look right at any zoom level.

Why you need a KML circle generator

A radius ring answers a very common spatial question: what falls within a fixed distance of a point? Drone pilots use it to visualise flight-restriction buffers, logistics teams sketch delivery or service-area rings, telecom engineers estimate cell-tower and Wi-Fi coverage, and emergency planners map blast or evacuation zones. Even a homeowner asking "how far is 5 km from my house?" needs the same shape. Google Earth can measure a line and draw a freehand polygon, but it cannot place an exact circle of a given radius — which is where a dedicated generator saves you from tedious guesswork.

How to create a KML circle in your browser

1. Enter the centre point as latitude and longitude. Decimal degrees (for example 40.7128, -74.0060) or DMS strings both work.
2. Type the radius and choose your unit — metres, kilometres or miles — so you never have to convert by hand.
3. Set the segment count to control smoothness. The default of 64 looks like a clean circle; raise it for very large rings viewed up close.
4. Optionally add a name and set the line and fill colours in KML's aabbggrr hex format.
5. Click Generate, then download the ready-to-open .kml file or copy the raw markup to paste elsewhere.

Segments, accuracy and file size: what to choose

Every KML circle is a polygon, so the segment count is a trade-off between smoothness and file size. This table shows sensible choices:

Segments	Look	Best for
16–32	Visibly faceted	Small files or a deliberate low-poly style
64 (default)	Smooth at normal zoom	Most coverage and buffer maps
128–256	Perfectly round when zoomed in	Very large radii viewed close up

Because each vertex is placed with the spherical destination-point formula rather than by adding flat degree offsets, the ring stays truly circular on the ground even at high latitudes, where a degree of longitude is far shorter than a degree of latitude.

Key features

• True geodesic circles computed with the destination-point formula.
• Radius in metres, kilometres or miles.
• Adjustable segment count for smoothness, defaulting to 64.
• Custom name plus line and fill colours in KML aabbggrr.
• Instant .kml download for Google Earth and My Maps.
• 100% client-side — your centre point is never uploaded, so it works offline as a PWA.

Try the KML Circle Generator now — it's free and runs entirely in your browser.

Frequently asked questions

How do I draw a radius circle in Google Earth?

Enter the centre coordinates and radius in the generator, download the .kml, and open it in Google Earth. The circle appears as an editable polygon you can restyle or copy into other projects — no native circle tool required.

Why is the KML circle a polygon and not a true circle?

KML has no circle primitive, so every circle is a polygon whose vertices all sit at the same great-circle distance from the centre. At 64 segments the deviation from a perfect circle is a tiny fraction of a percent — invisible at any practical zoom.

What does the KML colour format aabbggrr mean?

KML uses eight hex digits in alpha-blue-green-red order, the reverse of web RRGGBB. Solid red is ff0000ff and half-transparent blue is 7fff0000. The first two digits are opacity: ff is fully opaque, 00 is transparent.

Is the circle accurate for large radii?

Yes. Each point is computed geodesically, so a 50 km or 500 km ring stays accurate rather than distorting into an oval, which is what happens if you naively offset degrees.

Can I use the circle in Google My Maps?

Yes. In My Maps choose Import on a layer and select the downloaded .kml. The circle imports with its name and colours, and you can restyle it inside My Maps afterwards.

Related free tools

• KML Polygon Generator — build custom KML polygons from a list of vertices.
• Distance Calculator — measure the distance between two coordinates.
• Coordinate Converter — convert between decimal degrees and DMS.
• GeoJSON to KML Converter — turn GeoJSON features into KML.

Built by ByteVancer

ByteTools is a free product of ByteVancer, a software and web development studio that builds web apps, SaaS platforms and custom software for businesses. If you need a mapping feature, geospatial dashboard or bespoke tool built for your team, explore ByteVancer's services or get in touch to start a project.