You can’t do this directly in Google Maps
You might think that drawing a range circle (a radius around a point) on a Google map would be easy. It isn’t.
Every now and then, you might want to draw a circle of a specific radius from a given point. You can mark the distance between two points on Google Maps, so you’d think it would be possible to draw a circle of a given radius around a point. Frustratingly, there is no such option. At least, I spent quite some time looking in vain for such an option for an IT Support client of mine.
However, I’ve found a website that lets you do this, and it’s quite easy. Here’s what to do:
Go to https://www.mapdevelopers.com/draw-circle-tool.php
How to draw a range circle on a Google map
I probably don’t need to explain any more as it’s quite straightforward, but that would make for a very short blog post, so here’s some detail:
- Begin by entering the address. I have found that this can be a UK street address, including postcode.
- Enter the radius required from that point, noting that you can change the scale from miles to km, feet, or metres.
- If you want the area inside the circle to be filled in with a colour, then click the box below “Circle” and define your colour. Likewise for the border colour. If you just want to draw the circle with no colouring, then place a tick against “Only Show Border”.
- Click on “New Circle”.
You can click on “+” or “-” to zoom in or out (as long as your cursor is on the map itself). Alternatively, click on the “+” or “-” signs on the map itself.
To get a different perspective on your circle, click on the box at the top right of the map area to see a map full-screen. Click on the icon at the top right of the full-screen map to return to the web page.
Saving your Google map with range circle(s)
I haven’t found any way of saving maps with circles in the map software itself. You could use the Windows Snipping Tool. I would use Faststone Capture.
Alternatively, you can save the link to the map (with your circles) that is shown beneath the map.
To delete a circle, click within it (you will then see four small circles around the circumference of the circle), and click on the “Remove Circle” button. I kept hitting the “delete” key, but it doesn’t happen, so don’t bother.
Note that you can have several range circles at the same time (eg concentric circles one, two, and three miles from a specific point).
If you are a bit of a map geek and haven’t already discovered this website, then you might wish to idle away some time by clicking on the “Map Tools” option in the top menu.
If you start defining the address by typing in the street name etc, then you may get unexpected results. I tried an address in Lincoln (UK) and it showed me a map of Melbourne (Australia). In the UK it is probably better to enter a postcode. You can find postcodes at the Royal Mail Postcode Finder website.
If you need help with this, we should be able to sort it out with some remote IT Support. If you live in London I could even visit for onsite IT support.
By the way, the significance of using “100 miles around Charing Cross” as an example is that I thought that this was the “official” point from which measurements of distance from London are measured. Others seem to have different opinions.
Post icon (Featured Image) from Google Maps
Map data from Google
Map overlays from Map Developers
