OCS/ TIMER TO 6 - 15V DS B C E - + C1 10 m F R1 10K R2 53.6K R3 20K L3 50uH C2 200mF C3 .22 m F R4 6.2K R6 220 Q1 MPSH11 XTA 149.89 MHz L2 0.06uH C8 .01 m F L4 50uH L5 50uH S1 T1 C7 180mF C6 27mF C5 .01 m F R5 3.3K C4 .01 m F TO 6 - 15V DS

Circuit Diagram Maker

Make circuit diagrams, circuit designs, circuit schematics, and more in minutes

The Easy Choice for Making Circuit Diagrams and Drawings

Easy to Use

Start with a circuit diagram template and easily add components from a library of circuit drawing symbols. SmartDraw's intelligent lines will make sure your symbols attach correctly and stay attached to your components even when you move them around. Remove a component and your drawing will adjust and realign automatically.

Easy to Find the Symbols You Need

SmartDraw all the circuit diagram symbols you might need including switches, sensors, amplifiers, capacitors, resistors, transformers, and more. SmartDraw has a complete collection of the industry-standard IEEE and NECA symbols.

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Easy to Work With Other Apps

SmartDraw is easy to work with no matter what other apps you use. You can add circuit diagrams to:

  • Microsoft Office®
    • Word®
    • PowerPoint®
    • Excel®
  • Microsoft Teams®
  • Google Workspace
    • Google Docs
    • Google Sheets
  • Atlassian apps
    • Confluence
    • Jira

Easy to Save to Your Existing Storage Solution

SmartDraw works hand in glove with most file storage systems. You can save your circuit diagrams directly to:

  • SharePoint®
  • OneDrive®
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox®
  • Box®

There is no need to create a parallel set of common folders and permissions, SmartDraw can just save files directly into your existing set up.

Easy to Share

Share your circuit diagram with anyone, even if they don't own a copy of SmartDraw, with a link. You can also easily export any diagram as a PDF or common image formats like PNG or SVG.

Easy to Share

Easy to Get Help

Have a question? Chat or email us. SmartDraw support is in-house and free!

Easy to Get Help

Easy Collaboration

Your team can join you in making edits to any circuit design or drawing and provide instant feedback. Just send them a link.

Work together to design circuits and complete projects in real time.

SmartDraw also works where you already communicate with your team. You can collaborate on circuit designs in Microsoft Teams®, Slack or Confluence.

Collaborate on Circuit Diagrams

Our Circuit Diagram Maker Features

  • Circuit diagram templates
  • Circuit drawing examples
  • Circuit schematic symbols
  • IEEE and NECA symbols
  • Import Visio files & stencils
  • Line hops
  • Ability to add layers
  • Import PDF
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Ability to add comments
  • Version history
  • Works with the tools you use
  • Export as PDF, PNG, or SVG
  • Works with 3rd party storage providers

Circuit Diagram Examples and Templates

SmartDraw comes with a number of built-in circuit diagram and circuit drawing examples and templates to help you get started.

How to Make a Circuit Diagram

Step 1

Start with a Circuit Diagram Template

Start with an electrical circuit diagram template under the Engineering category.

Step 2

Identify Requirements and Constraints

Identify the requirements for your circuit like the power source and the expected voltage, components like LEDs and switches, and safety consideration like heat tolerance. Will the circuit be series, parallel, or mix?

Step 3

Add Your Power Source

You can't have a circuit without power. Start your circuit diagram by adding a symbol for your power source like a battery.

Step 4

Draw Circuit Lines

Next, start drawing circuits using the Line tool. Make sure you have the segmented or Shape Connector line type selected.

Step 5

Add Components

As you draw circuit lines, you can automatically add symbols at the end of a line from a pop-up menu of common symbols. This menu is intelligent and will populate with your most recently used symbols. Add resistors, logic gates, switches, and more.

Step 6

Label Components and Values

Add labels for component names, ratings, values, and notes. This will provide clarity and help troubleshooting.

Step 7

Review the Circuit for Errors

Check your circuit diagram for any potential errors like misplaced connections, incorrect polarity, unintended shorts, overlapping wires, and missing grounds or returns. Try walking through it step by step as a team.

Step 8

Collaborate with Others

Invite team members to give you feedback and help you look for any errors in your circuit drawing in real-time. Make notes, design and troubleshoot as a group. SmartDraw is so easy to use, you can make changes in real-time.

Step 9

Print or Share Your Circuit Diagram

Once your circuit schematic is complete you can insert it directly to any Microsoft Office app like Microsoft Word® or PowerPoint®, or add it to Google Docs or Google Slides.

SmartDraw also has apps to integrate with Atlassian's Confluence and Jira. You can share your circuit diagram in Microsoft Teams. You can also easily export your schematic drawing as a PDF or print it.

The Best Circuit Diagram Maker

A circuit diagram allows you to visualize how components of a circuit are laid out. Lines connect fuses, switches, capacitors, inductors, and more. SmartDraw comes with thousands of detailed electrical symbols you can drag and drop to your drawings and schematics.

Open an wiring diagram or circuit drawing template—not just a blank screen. Add circuit symbols, switches, relays, and more. SmartDraw circuit drawing software works with you instead of against you. Add, delete, or move elements around on the page and everything adjusts and realigns for you, automatically.

SmartDraw is the easiest circuit diagram maker on the market today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Circuit Diagrams

What's the difference between a circuit vs a schematic?

A circuit is the physical electrical system that exists in the real world. A circuit schematic is a symbolic drawing created to represent the real-world system using standardized symbols and lines. Its purpose is to show function and logical relationships, not necessarily show exact physical placement. Think of a circuit schematic like a blueprint for a house.

Why do electricians use circuit schematics?

Electrical circuit schematics are essential for understanding and troubleshooting circuits.

Can ChatGPT make a circuit diagram?

AI tools and LLMs like ChatGPT and Claude are great for generating designs in the early stages of planning for inspiration. However, the images they produce are not editable. We recommend using LLMs alongside a tool like SmartDraw's circuit diagram maker. This gives you the best of both worlds. Use SmartDraw to create a precise drawing using industry-standard symbols you can edit and collaborate on with your team.

What are the 4 rules for drawing circuit diagrams?
  1. Wires in a circuit diagram are drawn as straight lines.
  2. Wires should not cross over each other (or if they do, depict it using a line hop).
  3. You need to use industry-standard symbols for each component in the circuit.
  4. Circuits neeed to form a closed loop using a return line.
Does SmartDraw import Visio files?

To help you move away from legacy software, SmartDraw can import and edit Visio® diagrams and stencils. See how good SmartDraw's Visio import is.

What's the difference between series vs parallel circuits?

A series circuit has all components share a single path and depend on each other (think old Christmas string lights where if one bulb burnt out, the entire string wouldn't light up). A parallel circuit share voltage, but have multiple paths that allow the components to remain independent.

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3M logo
Amazon logo
AT&T logo
Cisco logo
Honeywell logo
Intel logo
Johnson and Johnson logo
Mariott logo
Abbott Labs logo
Motorola logo
Northrop Grumman logo
Oracle logo
Pfizer logo
Thermo Fisher Scientific logo
Verizon logo
Wells Fargo logo

Try SmartDraw's Circuit Diagram Maker Free

Discover why SmartDraw is the ideal circuit drawer and ciruit design maker.

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