Drawing on the map

_{Last updated: October 6, 2026 | 4 minutes read}

With a data source selected, you can draw points, lines and areas straight onto the map and reshape them with handles.

Step by step

Draw an area

1. Select a data source in Available Layers › Data Sources Layers › CUSTOM (see Data sources). If it is empty, click Create on map.
2. Click Polygon under "Drawing tools".
3. Click on the map at each corner of the area.
4. Press Enter, or right-click, to finish. The tool is put down and the new area is selected.
5. Click Save in the panel.

Change the shape of a line or an area

1. With no tool in hand, click the feature on the map to select it.
2. Drag a big circle to move a corner, or a small circle (halfway along an edge) to add a corner there.
3. To move the whole feature, drag it by its body.
4. Click Save.

The drawing tools

The drawing tools. This source holds points, so Polyline and Polygon are disabled.

Click Point, Polyline or Polygon to pick it up, and click it again to put it down. While a data source is selected, clicks on the map draw or edit instead of opening the layer popup.

A data source holds one kind of feature, so once it has features only that kind's tool is offered. To draw another kind, create another data source.

• Point: each click places a point. The tool stays in hand for the next one.
• Polyline and Polygon: each click adds a corner. Press Enter or right-click to finish. A line needs at least two corners and an area three; with fewer, the panel says so and the shape stays unfinished.

An area in progress. You can already drag its circles before finishing.

Finishing a line or an area puts the tool down and selects the new feature, so the next click edits it rather than starting another one.

Editing a feature

With no tool in hand, click a feature on the map to select it; its card opens in the panel (see Features and their properties). A selected line or area shows handles:

• Big circle, on a corner: drag to move that corner.
• Small circle, halfway along an edge: drag to add a new corner where you let go. Very short edges show no small circle.
• The feature's body: drag to move the whole feature. This works only on a feature that is already selected; dragging an unselected one pans the map.

A point has no handles; drag the point itself.

A drag ends when you release the mouse button, even outside the map. Esc also ends it; the shape stays where it is. There is no undo for drawing: to put a shape back, drag it back, or click Discard to return to the last saved version.

Keys

• Enter or right-click on the map: finish the line or area being drawn.
• Esc: end a drag.
• Arrow keys and Shift+Plus / Shift+Minus: pan and zoom the map while you draw, when the map has focus (see The map, settings and history).

See also: Data sources · Keyboard shortcuts