How to use it
- Set the diameter: type it, use the minus and plus buttons or the slider, or tap a popular size like 21 or 25.
- Pick a thin line, a thick line or a filled disc. Switch Shape to Oval for a width and a height of your own.
- Read the grid. The number at the end of each row is how many blocks go in that row, and the shaded row and column mark the centre.
- Download the PNG or print the plan and keep it next to the game. Copy rows gives the same plan as text.
How the Minecraft circle is calculated
A Minecraft world is a grid of cubes, so a round shape has to be approximated with squares. The generator uses the simplest honest rule. It lays the grid over an ideal circle and places a block wherever the centre of the square falls inside the circle. For a circle with diameter d the centre of the block in column i and row j sits at (i + 0.5 - d/2, j + 0.5 - d/2) and the block is placed when x² + y² ≤ (d/2)². An oval uses the same test with two different radii.
The outline is then taken from the filled shape. A block belongs to the thin line when at least one of its four side neighbours is empty. It belongs to the thick line when any of its eight neighbours, corners included, is empty. That is why the thick version needs more blocks but never leaves a diagonal gap.
A worked example: a round tower base
Say you want a tower with a round wall 20 blocks wide and 10 blocks high. The thin outline of a 20 block circle has 56 blocks. Ten layers of that is 560 blocks, which is 8 stacks and 48 more blocks. If you want the wall without diagonal gaps, the thick outline is 76 blocks, so 760 blocks or 11 stacks and 56. If you also want a solid floor, add the filled disc of 316 blocks.
The first rows of that circle read: skip 7, place 6. Then skip 5, place 2, skip 6, place 2. Then skip 3, place 2, skip 10, place 2. The second half is a mirror image, so you only need to work out the top half and flip it.
Minecraft circle chart: block counts for common sizes
These numbers come straight from the generator above. They are the same every time, so you can plan a build before you open the game. To see every circle from 3 to 40 blocks drawn side by side, open the Minecraft circle chart.
The short answer: a circle 20 blocks across needs 56 blocks as a thin line, 76 as a thick line and 316 as a filled disc. Click a diameter to open its own page with the rows.
| Diameter | Thin line | Thick line | Filled disc | Disc in stacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8 | 8 | 9 | under 1 stack |
| 5 | 12 | 16 | 21 | under 1 stack |
| 7 | 16 | 24 | 37 | under 1 stack |
| 9 | 24 | 32 | 69 | 1 stack + 5 |
| 10 | 28 | 36 | 80 | 1 stack + 16 |
| 11 | 28 | 40 | 97 | 1 stack + 33 |
| 13 | 36 | 48 | 137 | 2 stacks + 9 |
| 15 | 40 | 56 | 177 | 2 stacks + 49 |
| 16 | 44 | 60 | 208 | 3 stacks + 16 |
| 20 | 56 | 76 | 316 | 4 stacks + 60 |
| 21 | 56 | 80 | 349 | 5 stacks + 29 |
| 25 | 68 | 96 | 489 | 7 stacks + 41 |
| 30 | 84 | 116 | 716 | 11 stacks + 12 |
| 32 | 88 | 124 | 812 | 12 stacks + 44 |
| 40 | 112 | 156 | 1,264 | 19 stacks + 48 |
| 50 | 140 | 196 | 1,976 | 30 stacks + 56 |
| 64 | 180 | 252 | 3,228 | 50 stacks + 28 |
| 100 | 280 | 396 | 7,860 | 122 stacks + 52 |
Notice how the outline grows slowly while the filled disc grows fast. Doubling the diameter roughly doubles the outline but multiplies the filled area by four. If a build only needs the edge, a thin line saves a lot of mining.
Circle size guides
Each size has its own page with the full row list, the stacks for walls of different heights and notes for that size.
- 5 blocks
- 7 blocks
- 9 blocks
- 10 blocks
- 11 blocks
- 12 blocks
- 13 blocks
- 15 blocks
- 16 blocks
- 20 blocks
- 25 blocks
- 30 blocks
- 32 blocks
- 40 blocks
- 50 blocks
- 64 blocks
- 100 blocks
Minecraft oval and ellipse generator
An oval is a circle with two different diameters, one for the width and one for the height. A 30 by 20 oval uses 72 blocks as a thin line, 96 as a thick line and 476 as a filled shape. Ovals are handy for ponds, arenas, airship hulls and the footprint of a long hall. They look best when the two sizes have the same parity, so both odd or both even. That keeps the middle of the shape symmetrical on both axes.
Common mistakes
- Starting from the wrong row. The guide counts rows from the top of the picture. Pick a corner of your building area and keep it as row 1 column 1.
- Mixing up diameter and radius. The size you type is the full width in blocks, not the distance from the centre.
- Using a thin line when you wanted a continuous wall. In a thin line some blocks join only at the corners. Use the thick line when every block should touch the next along a side.
- Forgetting the centre. If you need a block in the exact middle, use an odd diameter.
- Eyeballing the counts. Row 5 and row 6 often differ by one block. Count twice or use two different block colours for the quarter marks.
Pixel circles without Minecraft
The same grid works for pixel art, cross-stitch and bead patterns. If you want a circle for that, use the pixel circle generator.
Tips for building faster
Place the four extreme blocks first: the top, bottom, left and right. They fix the size and tell you at once if you started in the wrong place. Then fill each quarter from the guide. On a big circle, mark every tenth row with a torch or a differently coloured block so you do not lose count. When the circle is the base of something taller, build one layer, then copy it upwards with a column of scaffolding or by placing the next layer directly on top.
To build in survival with fewer trips, look at the stack count under the picture and craft or mine that amount first. The stack calculator turns any block count into chests and shulker boxes. For round buildings in three dimensions, use the sphere, dome and cylinder generators.
Sources and notes
The block grid and the 64 block stack size follow the standard rules of the game, described on the Minecraft Wiki, checked on 25 October 2026. The shapes are calculated by the tool itself and do not depend on the game version. BlockShapes is not affiliated with Mojang or Microsoft.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Minecraft circle generator?
A good one draws the exact blocks, not just a picture. This one lays a grid over an ideal circle or ellipse, counts the blocks for outline and filled versions, and gives a row by row guide. It works for Java and Bedrock because it only uses full square blocks.
How do I make a circle in Minecraft?
Pick a diameter above, then place the blocks row by row as the grid shows. Start at the top row, count the gap on the left, place the run of blocks, and move down one row at a time. The picture is the same in Java and Bedrock because blocks are square in both.
What is the difference between a thin and a thick line?
A thin line is one block wide and steps diagonally where the curve turns, so two blocks touch only at their corners. A thick line adds the corner blocks so every block touches the next one along a side. Thick uses more blocks but leaves no diagonal gaps, which matters for walls, moats and anything that must be sealed.
Why do odd and even diameters look different?
An odd diameter has a single block in the middle, so you can put a pillar, a beacon or a door in the exact centre. An even diameter has a 2 by 2 square in the middle and the flat sides are slightly wider. Choose odd when you need a centre block.
How many blocks does a circle need?
It depends on the size and the line. A thin circle with a diameter of 20 uses 56 blocks, a thick one 76, and a filled disc 316. The tool shows all three numbers for any size you enter.
Can I make an oval or an ellipse?
Yes. Switch the shape to Oval and enter a width and a height. The oval keeps the same rule as the circle: a block is placed when its centre lies inside the ellipse.
What is the biggest circle I can draw?
The tool goes up to 400 blocks across. On a phone you can scroll the grid sideways, and the PNG export is always drawn at a size you can read.
Is there a Minecraft circle calculator?
Yes, this tool works as one. Enter a diameter and it calculates the blocks for a thin outline, a thick outline and a filled disc, then converts the total into stacks of 64.
Is a circle chart the same as a circle generator?
A chart shows fixed sizes side by side, like the circle chart on this site with every circle from 3 to 40 blocks. A generator calculates any size on the spot, so you also get ovals, big circles and a row by row guide.