How to Draw a Circle in QGIS

Updated on:

June 8, 2026

By:

Use this interactive demo to learn how to draw and place a circle on a polygon layer in QGIS.

Quick summary

This tutorial shows how to draw a circle in QGIS by using the Add Circle tool within a polygon layer's editing session. Follow the step-by-step walkthrough to enable editing, select the correct drawing tools, and complete the circle with an ID.

Steps

Select your polygon layer in the QGIS layers panel, or create a new one to get started.
Go to the top menu and click the Toggle Editing tool to enter edit mode for the selected layer.
Click the Add Polygon tool to activate the polygon drawing toolset in the toolbar.
Once the polygon tool is selected, other shape tools become available — click the Add Circle tool from the toolbar.
Drag the Add Circle tool across the map canvas, then right-click at the endpoint to finish drawing the circle shape.
Enter an ID number in the dialog that appears, then click OK to complete and save the circle drawing.

📌 Why this matters

QGIS is a leading open-source GIS platform used by spatial analysts, urban planners, and researchers worldwide. The ability to draw precise geometric shapes like circles directly on polygon layers is essential for defining zones, buffers, and study areas in spatial analysis workflows. Mastering the Add Circle tool in QGIS enables users to create accurate geographic features without relying on external plugins or paid GIS software. This makes QGIS a powerful, cost-free choice for professional-grade vector editing and spatial data creation.

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