BYTETOOLS

KML Circle Generator

Generate a KML circle around any latitude/longitude with a custom radius in meters, kilometers or miles, then download the circle KML for Google Earth or Maps.

What is the KML Circle Generator?

Google Earth has no built-in circle tool, so this generator creates one for you: enter a centre latitude/longitude, a radius in metres, kilometres or miles, and it produces a KML polygon that approximates a geodesic circle.

  • True geodesic circle via the destination-point formula
  • Radius in metres, kilometres or miles
  • Adjustable segment count (smoothness), default 64
  • Custom name, line colour and fill colour (KML aabbggrr)
  • Instant .kml download for Google Earth and My Maps
  • 100% client-side — centre point never uploaded

How to use the KML Circle Generator

  1. 1

    Enter the centre latitude and longitude (decimal degrees or DMS).

  2. 2

    Set the radius and choose metres, kilometres or miles.

  3. 3

    Adjust segments for smoothness and optionally set a name and colours.

  4. 4

    Click Generate, then download the .kml or copy the markup.

About the KML Circle Generator

Google Earth has no built-in circle tool, so this generator creates one for you: enter a centre latitude/longitude, a radius in metres, kilometres or miles, and it produces a KML polygon that approximates a geodesic circle. The circle is computed point-by-point with the spherical destination-point formula, so it stays accurate even for large radii and high latitudes.

Typical uses include drone flight-restriction buffers, delivery or service-area rings, cell-tower and Wi-Fi coverage estimates, blast or evacuation radii, and "how far is 5 km from my house" checks. You control the smoothness with the segment count (64 by default) and can set a name plus KML line and fill colours.

The KML is generated entirely in your browser and downloads as a ready-to-open .kml file. Nothing is uploaded — your centre point stays private.

Frequently asked questions

How do I draw a radius circle in Google Earth?

Google Earth cannot draw circles natively, so generate one here: enter the centre coordinates and radius, download the .kml and open it in Google Earth. The circle appears as a polygon you can restyle or copy into other projects.

Why is the KML circle actually a polygon?

KML has no circle primitive, so every "circle" is a polygon whose vertices sit at a fixed great-circle distance from the centre. With 64 segments the maximum deviation from a perfect circle is a tiny fraction of a percent of the radius — visually indistinguishable at any zoom.

How many segments should I use?

64 segments (the default) look perfectly smooth for most radii. Use 128 or 256 for very large circles viewed close up, or drop to 16–32 if you want smaller files or a deliberately faceted look. More segments mean more vertices and a slightly larger file.

What is the KML color format aabbggrr?

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

Is the circle accurate at high latitudes?

Yes. Each vertex is placed with the spherical destination-point formula rather than by adding fixed degree offsets, so the ring stays circular on the ground near the poles, where one degree of longitude is much shorter than one degree of latitude.

Guides for KML Circle Generator

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