Interactive images are pictures that do more than just sit on a page—they invite people to click, explore, and learn more through a hands-on experience. Instead of reading a long explanation or flipping through multiple documents, users can click on different parts of one image to find the information they need. This makes learning or exploring content feel more like a journey rather than a chore. For example, imagine a classroom setting where a student clicks on parts of a virtual science diagram, and each part reveals a video or definition. Or in a workplace, employees might explore a process chart where each step opens up further detail. These visuals help people engage at their own pace and follow their curiosity.
Open a New Google Drawing
Start by going to Google Drive. Once there, click on the New button on the top left. A menu will pop up—scroll down to More, then click on Google Drawings. A new tab will open with an empty canvas. This is where you shall create interactive image. Before beginning, it would be wise to rename your project by clicking on Untitled drawing @ the top left and giving it a proper descriptive name, such as Interactive Solar System or Clickable Classroom Map. Such small habits will pay off to save time in the future, especially if creating multiple interactive images over time or sharing with others.
Insert Your Image
The foundation of your interactive image is the picture or diagram that everything else will sit on. This could be a map of the world, a diagram of a cell, a screenshot from a website, or even a photo of your classroom layout. Click Insert → Image in the top toolbar. You can choose to upload an image from your computer, pick one from your Google Drive, search the web, or paste an image URL. Once it's added to the canvas, click and drag to position it, and use the blue squares on the corners to resize it. Make sure it's large enough to see the details clearly, especially if you're planning to place several clickable areas on top.
Add Shapes for Clickable Areas
The image is made interactive by placing shapes over the areas people might want to click on. These shapes are like invisible buttons. You might draw a circle over each continent on a map or a rectangle over each item in a classroom photo. Go to Insert → Shape, then choose between rectangles, circles, or any other available shapes. Draw a shape by clicking and dragging over the desired area. After placing it, you can resize it or move it so that it perfectly aligns with the portion of the image with which people will interact. Add as many shapes as required—each one can be linked differently.
Make Shapes Transparent
At first, the shapes you add will have a colored fill and border, which can block the image underneath. But you can easily make them invisible while keeping their function. Click on a shape, then click the paint bucket icon and choose Transparent for the fill. Next, click the border color icon (it looks like a pencil) and also select Transparent. Now the shape won't be visible, but it's still sitting there, waiting to be clicked. This trick lets you preserve the look of your image while still layering interactivity on top of it.
Add Links to the Shapes
Once your transparent shapes are in place, the next step is to make them do something. Select a shape, then click the link icon (a chain symbol) in the toolbar. A small box will pop up where you can paste a URL. You can link to anything: a YouTube video that explains a concept, a Google Doc with further reading, a slide deck, a website, or even another Google Drawing. Once you paste the link and click "Apply," the shape becomes clickable. Now, when someone clicks that area, it will take them straight to the linked content. You can repeat this process for every shape you've added.
Add Text if Needed
Even though your interactive image is mostly visual, sometimes you need to add labels or simple instructions. That's where text boxes come in handy. Click the Text box icon in the toolbar, then click anywhere on your canvas to place it. You can type labels like "Click each planet to learn more" or "Hover over each part of the diagram." You can change the font size, color, and position just like you would in Google Docs. Text boxes help users understand how to interact with the image, especially if they're new to this kind of setup. You can also use them to label different sections for clarity.
Share or Publish
Once you are done creating your interactive image, sharing it becomes important. You hit the blue Share button located in the top-right corner. You may enter the email addresses of people or generate a shareable link. Also, do remember to update the permissions correctly. One may want it to be just a "viewer" permission, not to edit at all. For embedding on websites, blogs, and an online classroom environment, go into File → Publish to the web. This would be a public link or embed code. Once your publishing is complete, your image will be scrutinized with a click of anyone's mouse rather than logging in and making edits.
Leading Partners
Virtual reality tech by VPL Research demonstrated in San Francisco, 1989. pic.twitter.com/v30tJAbQsj
— Humanoid History (@HumanoidHistory) July 1, 2025
