Qibla Guides
How to Find the Qibla Direction: A Practical Guide
A practical guide to finding the Qibla with your location and a compass, including true north, phone-sensor problems, map curves, and checks you can trust.
Read the guideQibla Finder Online
Find the Qibla direction from your current location with a private online compass, precise Qibla angle, distance to the Kaaba, and a great-circle map.
Qibla direction
Use your location, or enter coordinates by hand
or enter coordinates
On the map
The line to the Kaaba
The great-circle route drawn over real terrain. It curves, because the shortest path across a sphere is not a straight line on a flat map — which is exactly why the Qibla often points somewhere people do not expect.
Qibla map
Your position, the Kaaba, and the route between them
Loading the map…
Map images load from OpenStreetMap with the page. Each image request names the patch of world being shown, so once the map shows your location those servers can infer roughly where you are. The compass above works without the map.
Getting started
How to use
Three steps, a few seconds, and nothing to install.
STEP 01
Share your location
Tap "Use my location" and allow the browser prompt. Prefer not to? Enter your latitude and longitude by hand instead.
STEP 02
Read the bearing
You get the angle from true north, the nearest compass point, and how far the Kaaba is from you.
STEP 03
Turn to face it
On a phone, enable the live compass and rotate until the needle meets the marker at the top. Then double-check against a direction you trust.
Built on real geodesy
The formula, and why a flat map gets it wrong
Built on real geodesy
The Qibla is the initial great-circle bearing to the Kaaba — the shortest path across the surface of the Earth.
Spherical, not flat Uses the great-circle forward azimuth. A straight line drawn on a flat world map gives a different, wrong answer over long distances.
Instant A few lines of trigonometry run on your device. No API calls, no waiting, and it works offline once the page has loaded.
Private Your coordinates stay in the page. No accounts, no tracking, no third-party fonts or scripts, and no cookies beyond your theme and unit choice. The map is the one exception, and it says so.
Free online Qibla tool
Qibla Finder online for your current location
Calculate the prayer direction, angle, compass point, distance, and great-circle route to the Kaaba from almost anywhere.
Qibla Finder is a private, browser-based tool for anyone who needs to find Qibla direction without creating an account or installing an application. Use the location button or enter coordinates by hand, and the Qibla finder online calculates the initial great-circle bearing to the Kaaba. The result includes a precise angle from true north, a familiar compass label, the approximate distance to Makkah, and a map. Because the calculation runs on your device, the main tool does not send your coordinates to an application server. It works as a practical Qibla direction online service while keeping the method clear enough to check against a trusted local prayer direction.
How can I find the Qibla direction from my location?
Press Use my location in the Qibla direction finder and allow the browser request. Your device supplies latitude and longitude, and the page calculates the bearing immediately. The same feature answers searches such as Qibla finder from my location and Qibla direction from current location: each means calculating from the coordinates where you are now. Phrases like Qibla direction near me or Qibla finder near me do not require a directory of nearby places; they require your position and the fixed position of the Kaaba. If location access is unavailable or unwanted, enter decimal or degrees-minutes-seconds coordinates manually and receive the same calculation.
A Qibla direction calculator and angle finder
The tool also works as a Qibla direction calculator and Qibla angle calculator. It measures the initial bearing clockwise from geographic, or true, north: 0° is north, 90° is east, 180° is south, and 270° is west. A result of 58.5°, for example, means turning clockwise from true north to an east-northeast direction. This method is sometimes called Qibla direction by location because changing the starting coordinates changes the initial angle. The Kaaba coordinates stay fixed. The calculator also estimates great-circle distance, giving useful context without pretending that distance alone identifies the direction.
Use the Qibla compass online
After a bearing is calculated, supported phones can use the Qibla compass online. Enable the live compass, hold the phone flat with the screen upward, and turn until the green needle meets the marker at the top of the dial. This Qibla direction compass uses a north-referenced orientation reading when the browser can provide one. If the device reports movement but not a trustworthy heading, the dial stays fixed rather than displaying a confident but meaningless direction. Keep any Qibla compass away from magnets, speakers, steel furniture, vehicles, and magnetic phone cases, all of which can disturb sensor readings.
True north, magnetic north, and reliable results
The calculated bearing is measured from true north, while a traditional compass usually follows magnetic north. The difference is magnetic declination, and it varies by place and over time. A disagreement between the number on this page and a handheld compass does not automatically mean either is broken; they may be using different north references. GPS accuracy, phone calibration, tilt, nearby metal, and the way a direction is transferred to a wall can add further error. For the best practical result, take more than one stable reading and compare it with a known mosque, mihrab, surveyed line, or another direction you trust.
Why the Qibla direction map shows a curved route
The optional Qibla direction map draws the shortest route across a spherical Earth. That route is a great circle, and it commonly appears curved when displayed on a flat Mercator map. A ruler line drawn across a world map follows the projection rather than the shortest path over the globe, so it can suggest the wrong starting direction over long distances. This is why the Qibla from parts of North America begins toward the northeast even though Makkah may appear southeast on a rectangular wall map. The map's background tiles come from an external provider, OpenStreetMap; the bearing calculation never depends on them.
Direction to Kaaba, Mecca, or Makkah
The direction to Kaaba is the purpose of the calculation. “Mecca” and “Makkah” are alternative English spellings for the city containing Masjid al-Haram, while the Kaaba is the specific point toward which the Qibla is directed. Searches for Kaaba direction from my location, Mecca direction from my location, and Makkah direction from my location therefore express nearly the same practical need. Qibla Finder uses the Kaaba's coordinates—approximately 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E—as the destination, so the result is more specific than pointing generally toward the wider city.
Is this Qibla Finder online free to use?
Yes. The Qibla finder online free tool requires no payment, subscription, registration, or download. It does not contain behavioural advertising or analytics trackers. Light or dark theme and kilometre or mile preferences are stored only in your browser. Location and compass permissions remain under your browser and device controls, and manual coordinate entry is always available. The map is the one feature that contacts a third-party tile server: its images load with the page, and once you set a location they show the area around you. Read the Privacy Policy for the exact data flow and limitations.
A Qibla locator for home, travel, and unfamiliar places
As a Qibla locator, the page is useful at home, in a hotel, at work, or while travelling. Once you have the bearing, choose a fixed feature along that line—a wall edge, window, corridor, road, or distant landmark—so you do not need to keep watching the screen. Recalculate after moving to another city or region; a short walk usually changes the bearing only slightly. Airports, hospitals, universities, and hotels may already provide marked prayer rooms, and those established directions are valuable checks. Questions about religious obligations when a direction cannot be determined should be taken to an appropriate local scholar rather than a browser utility.
Start with the finder, then verify what matters
For a quick result, open the Qibla Finder, set your position, and read the angle before using the live compass. The three-step guide explains the controls, while How it works summarizes the geometry. For a deeper explanation of bearings, map projection, phone sensors, travel, and common mistakes, read the complete guide to finding the Qibla direction. The mathematics provides a consistent geographic result; careful coordinates, a stable compass, and a trusted local reference turn that number into a dependable direction in the room around you.
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Qibla Finder frequently asked questions
Quick answers about the online Qibla direction calculator, compass, map, location, accuracy, and privacy.
How does Qibla Finder calculate the Qibla direction?
Qibla Finder calculates the initial great-circle bearing from your latitude and longitude to the Kaaba at approximately 21.4225°N, 39.8262°E. The forward-azimuth formula returns an angle measured clockwise from true north; the page then shows the nearest compass point and great-circle distance. Read How it works for the practical explanation.
How do I find the Qibla direction from my current location?
Press Use my location, allow the browser's location request, and the Qibla direction from your current location appears as an angle, compass point, and distance. You can then enable the live compass on a supported phone. If you prefer not to grant location access, enter latitude and longitude manually for the same calculation.
Is Qibla Finder online free to use?
Yes. Qibla Finder online is free to use and requires no account, subscription, payment, or application download. The bearing and distance are calculated in your browser. There are no behavioural advertising or analytics trackers. The map loads its images from an external tile provider; the Privacy Policy explains those requests.
How accurate is the Qibla direction calculator?
The Qibla direction calculator uses a standard spherical great-circle formula and gives a dependable geographic bearing for valid coordinates. Practical accuracy depends on your location fix and the instrument used to transfer that angle into a room. GPS uncertainty, phone calibration, magnetic interference, tilt, and the difference between true and magnetic north can create larger errors than the calculation itself.
How do I use the Qibla compass online?
First calculate a bearing in the Qibla Finder, then select Enable under Live compass. Hold the phone flat with the screen facing upward and rotate slowly until the green needle meets the fixed marker at the top of the dial. Keep the device away from magnets, speakers, steel furniture, vehicles, and magnetic cases, which can disturb the heading.
Why does my phone compass show a different Qibla direction?
The most common reason is that the calculated Qibla angle uses true north while a phone or handheld compass may use magnetic north. The difference, called magnetic declination, varies by location and changes over time. Metal, magnets, electronics, poor calibration, and holding a phone upright can also distort the reading. Compare a true-north bearing with a true-north heading whenever possible.
Why does the live Qibla compass not move on my device?
The live dial moves only when the browser supplies a trustworthy north-referenced heading. Some computers have no orientation sensor, and some phones report movement relative to the position in which the page opened rather than relative to north. Qibla Finder rejects that ambiguous reading instead of showing a false direction. The numerical bearing remains usable with a separate, calibrated compass.
Why does the Qibla direction map show a curved line?
The Qibla direction map draws a great-circle route, the shortest path across a spherical Earth. A great circle usually appears curved on a flat Mercator map because the projection stretches the globe. Drawing a ruler line across a world map follows the flat projection, not the shortest surface route, and can give a substantially different starting direction over long distances.
Can I find the Kaaba direction from my location?
Yes. Set your position in the online Qibla locator to calculate the Kaaba direction from your location. Searches for the Mecca direction or Makkah direction from your location describe the same practical task, but the calculation targets the Kaaba specifically rather than the wider city. The result is the initial bearing from true north at your starting coordinates.
Can I find Qibla direction by entering coordinates manually?
Yes. Enter latitude and longitude in the Qibla direction finder when location permission is unavailable or when checking another place. It accepts decimal coordinates such as 51.5074, decimal commas such as 51,5074, and degrees-minutes-seconds such as 51°30'26.6"N. Latitude belongs in the first field and longitude in the second.
Does Qibla Finder send or store my location?
No. Coordinates used by the finder stay in the page and are not sent to an application server or stored in cookies or local storage. The only things kept in local storage are your theme and distance-unit choices, and any counts you make with the tasbih counter. The map loads with the page, so OpenStreetMap receives ordinary tile requests that reveal the approximate area being viewed: a world view at first, and the area around your position once you set a location.
Does the Qibla direction change between nearby locations?
Technically yes, because every coordinate has its own bearing to the Kaaba, but the change across a normal building or short walk is usually very small. A "Qibla direction near me" result becomes meaningfully different after travel across a city, region, or country. Recalculate when you reach a substantially different place, and use your actual coordinates rather than a generic country centre when precision matters.
Can I rely on this Qibla Finder for prayer?
Use it as a practical geographic guide, then confirm the physical direction where precision matters. The bearing calculation is consistent, but GPS accuracy, compass quality, magnetic interference, and building alignment can affect how the result is applied. Compare it with a trusted mosque, established mihrab, surveyed direction, or knowledgeable local authority. Questions about religious obligation or acceptable uncertainty require appropriate religious guidance.