What is the difference between a bearing and an azimuth?

A bearing is measured from North or South (whichever is closer) toward East or West, producing an angle of 0°–90° with a quadrant label such as N 45° E. An azimuth is always measured clockwise from true North and ranges from 0° to 360°, with no directional label needed.

How do I convert N 45° E to an azimuth?

N 45° E is already in the NE quadrant, so the azimuth equals the bearing angle directly: 45°. For S 30° W the azimuth is 180° + 30° = 210°. The tool applies these quadrant rules automatically.

What are the four quadrant rules?

NE quadrant: Azimuth = Bearing angle. SE quadrant: Azimuth = 180° − Bearing angle. SW quadrant: Azimuth = 180° + Bearing angle. NW quadrant: Azimuth = 360° − Bearing angle.

Can I enter degrees-minutes-seconds (DMS)?

Yes. Switch the input format toggle to DMS and enter separate fields for degrees, minutes, and seconds. The tool converts to decimal internally before computing.

What happens at 0°, 90°, 180°, or 270° azimuth?

These are cardinal directions: 0°/360° = North, 90° = East, 180° = South, 270° = West. The bearing representation is simply N 0° (or due North), N 90° E (due East), S 0° (due South), and N 90° W (due West).

Bearing to Azimuth Converter

Name: Bearing to Azimuth Converter
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Convert between quadrant compass bearings (N 45° E) and whole-circle azimuths (0–360°) instantly.

Conversion Direction

Input Format

Quadrant

Angle (0° – 90°)

Result

Enter values and click Convert to see the result.

Compass

Quadrant Conversion Rules

Quadrant	Bearing Range	Azimuth Formula
NE	N 0–90° E	Az = θ
SE	S 0–90° E	Az = 180° − θ
SW	S 0–90° W	Az = 180° + θ
NW	N 0–90° W	Az = 360° − θ

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Summary

Convert between quadrant compass bearings (N 45° E) and whole-circle azimuths (0–360°) instantly.

How it works

Select the conversion direction: Bearing → Azimuth or Azimuth → Bearing.
For bearings, choose the quadrant (NE, SE, SW, NW) and enter the angle between 0° and 90°.
For azimuths, enter any value from 0° to 360°.
Click Convert to see the result with a visual compass diagram.
Use the swap button to reverse the conversion with the current result.

Use cases

Convert field survey notes from quadrant bearings to azimuths for CAD software.
Translate nautical chart bearings to whole-circle format for GPS entry.
Check traverse closure in civil engineering projects.
Convert azimuth headings from drone or aircraft instruments to readable compass bearings.
Verify hand-calculated bearing/azimuth conversions in surveying coursework.
Set up theodolite orientations in mine surveying.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: 2026-05-23 · Reviewed by Nham Vu