Inches ⇄ Centimeters Converter
Convert inches, centimeters, millimeters, feet and meters in one place. Type a number – fractions such as 5 3/8 work too – and see the exact result, the nearest fraction of an inch and the value in feet and inches.
Exact, not approximate
We use the official definitions (1 in = 2.54 cm exactly), so the answers match a printed ruler or tape measure.
Fractions and feet-inches
Type 5 3/8 or 5 ft 8 in. The converter understands tape-measure fractions and returns fractions back to you.
Fast on any phone
No sign-up, no heavy scripts. The result appears as you type and every table is plain text that loads instantly.
Popular conversions
Conversion tables
| Centimeters (cm) | Inches (in) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.3937 |
| 2 | 0.7874 |
| 3 | 1.1811 |
| 4 | 1.5748 |
| 5 | 1.9685 |
| 6 | 2.3622 |
| 7 | 2.7559 |
| 8 | 3.1496 |
| 9 | 3.5433 |
| 10 | 3.937 |
| 11 | 4.3307 |
| 12 | 4.7244 |
| 13 | 5.1181 |
| 14 | 5.5118 |
| 15 | 5.9055 |
| 16 | 6.2992 |
| 17 | 6.6929 |
| 18 | 7.0866 |
| 19 | 7.4803 |
| 20 | 7.874 |
| 21 | 8.2677 |
| 22 | 8.6614 |
| 23 | 9.0551 |
| 24 | 9.4488 |
| 25 | 9.8425 |
| 26 | 10.2362 |
| 27 | 10.6299 |
| 28 | 11.0236 |
| 29 | 11.4173 |
| 30 | 11.811 |
| Inches (in) | Centimeters (cm) |
|---|---|
| 0.25 | 0.635 |
| 0.5 | 1.27 |
| 0.75 | 1.905 |
| 1 | 2.54 |
| 1.5 | 3.81 |
| 2 | 5.08 |
| 2.5 | 6.35 |
| 3 | 7.62 |
| 3.5 | 8.89 |
| 4 | 10.16 |
| 4.5 | 11.43 |
| 5 | 12.7 |
| 5.5 | 13.97 |
| 6 | 15.24 |
| 7 | 17.78 |
| 8 | 20.32 |
| 9 | 22.86 |
| 10 | 25.4 |
| 11 | 27.94 |
| 12 | 30.48 |
| 13 | 33.02 |
| 14 | 35.56 |
| 15 | 38.1 |
| 16 | 40.64 |
| 17 | 43.18 |
| 18 | 45.72 |
| 19 | 48.26 |
| 20 | 50.8 |
| 21 | 53.34 |
| 22 | 55.88 |
| 23 | 58.42 |
| 24 | 60.96 |
| 25 | 63.5 |
| 26 | 66.04 |
| 27 | 68.58 |
| 28 | 71.12 |
| 29 | 73.66 |
| 30 | 76.2 |
| 32 | 81.28 |
| 34 | 86.36 |
Everything about inches and centimeters
What is an inch and how many cm is it?
The inch (symbol “in” or the double prime ″) is a unit of length in the imperial and US customary systems. It is used every day in the United States and, alongside metric units, in the United Kingdom and Canada. Since the international agreement of 1959, one inch is defined as exactly 25.4 millimeters, or 2.54 centimeters, so converting inches to cm is an exact calculation, never an estimate.
Even in countries that officially use the metric system, inches are part of everyday life: screen sizes for TVs, monitors, laptops and phones, wheel and tire diameters, pipe and fastener sizes, and jeans waist measurements are all quoted in inches.
How to convert inches to cm (formula and examples)
Multiply the number of inches by 2.54. For example, 10 inches × 2.54 = 25.4 cm and 12 inches × 2.54 = 30.48 cm (one foot). To go the other way, divide centimeters by 2.54: 100 cm ÷ 2.54 = 39.37 inches.
For a quick mental estimate, multiply the inches by 2.5 and add a little: 8 inches is about 20 cm plus a bit, exactly 20.32 cm. If your measurement has a fraction such as 5 3/8″, convert it to a decimal first (5.375) or type it as it is into the converter above, which understands fractions and feet-and-inches.
Inches to cm chart
1 inch = 2.54 cm = 25.4 mm. 2 inches = 5.08 cm. 5 inches = 12.7 cm. 10 inches = 25.4 cm. 20 inches = 50.8 cm. 50 inches = 127 cm. 100 inches = 254 cm. In reverse: 1 cm = 0.3937 inches, 10 cm = 3.937 inches, 30 cm = 11.81 inches and 100 cm = 39.37 inches.
What is a centimeter?
The centimeter (cm) is one hundredth of a meter, so 1 m = 100 cm. It belongs to the International System of Units (SI), the most widely used measurement system in the world. Since 1983 the meter has been defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second, which makes the centimeter a stable unit that any laboratory can reproduce.
Inches and other units of length
Within the imperial system, 1 foot (ft) is 12 inches, 1 yard (yd) is 36 inches and 1 mile (mi) is 63,360 inches. So 40 inches equals 3.333 feet, 1.111 yards or 0.000631 miles. In metric units, 1 inch is 25.4 mm, 2.54 cm, 0.254 dm or 0.0254 m.
For heights, remember that 1 foot is 30.48 cm: a person who is 5 feet 8 inches tall is 172.72 cm. The feet-and-inches to cm converter on this site does that calculation for you.
How many cm is a 55 inch TV? TV size chart
A TV’s inch size is its screen diagonal. A 55-inch TV is 139.7 cm diagonally (55 × 2.54), about 121.8 cm wide and 68.5 cm tall in 16:9. The bezel and stand add a few centimeters, so always measure your furniture before buying.
| Inches | Diagonal (cm) | Width (cm) | Height (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32″ | 81.3 | 70.9 | 39.9 |
| 40″ | 101.6 | 88.6 | 49.8 |
| 43″ | 109.2 | 95.2 | 53.6 |
| 50″ | 127 | 110.8 | 62.3 |
| 55″ | 139.7 | 121.8 | 68.5 |
| 60″ | 152.4 | 132.9 | 74.8 |
| 65″ | 165.1 | 144 | 81 |
| 75″ | 190.5 | 166.1 | 93.4 |
| 85″ | 215.9 | 188.3 | 105.9 |
Height: cm to feet and inches
To express your height in feet and inches, divide the centimeters by 2.54 and then by 12. This chart covers the most common heights.
| Centimeters | Feet and inches | Inches |
|---|---|---|
| 150 | 4′ 11.1″ | 59.1 |
| 155 | 5′ 1″ | 61 |
| 160 | 5′ 3″ | 63 |
| 165 | 5′ 5″ | 65 |
| 170 | 5′ 6.9″ | 66.9 |
| 175 | 5′ 8.9″ | 68.9 |
| 180 | 5′ 10.9″ | 70.9 |
| 185 | 6′ 0.8″ | 72.8 |
| 190 | 6′ 2.8″ | 74.8 |
Jeans and waist sizes: inches to cm
US jeans are labeled by waist and length in inches. Multiply by 2.54 to get centimeters.
| Waist (in) | Waist (cm) |
|---|---|
| W28 | 71.12 |
| W30 | 76.2 |
| W32 | 81.28 |
| W34 | 86.36 |
| W36 | 91.44 |
| W38 | 96.52 |
| W40 | 101.6 |
Where are inches still used?
The United States is the one major country where inches are the standard everyday unit. In the United Kingdom, Canada and other countries with an English-speaking tradition, both systems coexist: a person’s height, a screen size or a piece of lumber is often given in inches and feet even when the official system is metric.
Global technology and manufacturing also adopted inches for many products: TV, computer and phone screens, 3.5″ drives, car and bicycle rims and tires, threads, bolts and pipes, and many camera and audio-visual accessories.
Wheels, clothing and other everyday uses
A 17″ wheel has a diameter of 43.18 cm. In US jeans sizes, W32 L32 means a 32-inch (81.28 cm) waist and a 32-inch (81.28 cm) inseam. For any other measurement, use the converter.
A short history of the inch
The word comes from the Latin uncia, one “twelfth part” of a Roman foot; the word ounce comes from the same root. In medieval England the inch was defined by very human references: the width of a thumb or, in a definition attributed to Edward II around 1324, the length of three dry, round barleycorns placed end to end.
For centuries every country and trade used slightly different inches. Standardization came in the 20th century and was completed in 1959, when the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa agreed that one inch is exactly 25.4 mm. Since then, inch ⇄ centimeter conversion has been exact and universal.
Why use this converter
This inches-to-cm and cm-to-inches calculator runs in your browser with no sign-up and gives you the exact result, the nearest fraction of an inch and the equivalent in feet and inches. For more detail, read our guide on converting inches to centimeters and reading a tape measure, browse the full conversion chart, or open any of the other length converters.
Guide · Inches to cm chart (with fractions) · All length converters
Frequently asked questions
How many inches are in 1 cm?
1 cm = 0.3937008 in. This factor is rounded to 7 significant digits; the calculator uses the exact ratio.
How do I convert centimeters to inches?
Divide the value in cm by 2.54. For example, 25 cm = 9.8425 in.
How many inches is 100 cm?
100 cm = 39.3701 in.
Is this centimeters to inches converter accurate?
Yes. It uses the exact international definitions (1 inch = 2.54 cm, 1 foot = 30.48 cm). Numbers are rounded only for display, and you can show up to 8 decimals.