Measure a distance or an area

You can measure a linear distance or an area and its perimeter on a map using the Measure tool. This tool calculates the shortest measurement using an ellipsoid-based geodetic calculation, even if the data uses a projected coordinate or other coordinate system. You can also change the units of measure while measuring.

Note:

You must sign in to your ArcGIS account to access the Measure tool.

To measure a linear distance or an area, complete the following steps:

1. From the map tools, click Analysis .

   The analysis tools appear, and the Measure tool is the active tool by default.

2. Choose a measurement option from the Measurement drop-down menu.
   • Distance —Measure a linear distance. Click the map where you want to start the measurement, click once for every vertex of the line you want to measure, and double-click to complete the line.
   • Area —Measure an area and its perimeter. Click the map where you want to start the measurement, click once for every vertex of the area you want to measure, and double-click to complete the area.

   The results appear at the bottom of the Measure pane and on the map.

3. To change the measurement unit or clear the measurement, do the following:
   • From the Unit drop-down menu, choose a different unit of measure. The measurement results are converted to the new unit.
   • Click Clear measurement to clear and start another measurement.

     Note:

     The measurement is also cleared when you switch between distance and area or click another tool.

Move the map while measuring

If the distance or area to be measured is not completely within the current map extent—for example, a street or parcel extends beyond what is visible—pan the map as you measure while maintaining the cumulative total distance or area. To do this, drag the map in the desired direction and double-click to complete the measurement.