Convert Length Units
Length Converter
Length Conversion Chart
Quick reference for the most common length unit relationships.
Metric System
| 1 km | = | 1,000 m |
| 1 m | = | 100 cm |
| 1 cm | = | 10 mm |
| 1 m | = | 1,000 mm |
| 1 µm | = | 0.001 mm |
Imperial System
| 1 mile | = | 1,760 yards |
| 1 mile | = | 5,280 feet |
| 1 yard | = | 3 feet |
| 1 foot | = | 12 inches |
Metric ↔ Imperial (Exact Factors)
| 1 inch | = | 2.54 cm | exact |
| 1 foot | = | 30.48 cm | exact |
| 1 yard | = | 0.9144 m | exact |
| 1 mile | = | 1.609344 km | exact |
These cross-system factors are exact by definition, established by the International Yard and Pound Agreement (1959). The inch is defined as exactly 25.4 millimeters.
Length Units by Use Case
Body Measurements
Height is measured in centimeters (cm) in most countries and in feet and inches (ft + in) in the US, UK, and Canada. Medical records worldwide use cm. Driver's licenses in the US use feet/inches. 1 ft = 30.48 cm exactly.
Precision & Engineering
Engineering and manufacturing use millimeters (mm) in metric countries and fractional inches (1/16", 1/32", 1/64") in the US. Drill bits, bolts, and pipe fittings are sized in one system — converting between them is essential for cross-border parts sourcing. 1 in = 25.4 mm exactly.
Distance & Travel
Road distances use kilometers (km) in most of the world and miles in the US, UK, and Myanmar. Running races use km (5K, 10K, marathon = 42.195 km). GPS devices often show both. 1 km = 0.621 miles.
Construction & Home
Construction in the US uses feet and inches (lumber, room dimensions, lot sizes), while the rest of the world uses meters and centimeters. Fabric is sold by the yard in the US and by the meter elsewhere. 1 yard = 0.9144 m exactly.
Top Length Conversions
The most searched length conversion factors, all exact by international definition.
| From | To | Factor | Converter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 meter | 3.28084 feet | × 3.28084 | m → ft |
| 1 foot | 0.3048 meters | × 0.3048 exact | ft → m |
| 1 inch | 2.54 cm | × 2.54 exact | in → cm |
| 1 cm | 0.3937 inches | × 0.3937 | cm → in |
| 1 km | 0.621371 miles | × 0.621371 | km → mi |
| 1 mile | 1.609344 km | × 1.609344 exact | mi → km |
| 1 yard | 0.9144 meters | × 0.9144 exact | yd → m |
| 1 mm | 0.03937 inches | × 0.03937 | mm → in |
| 1 cm | 0.03281 feet | × 0.03281 | cm → ft |
| 1 m | 100 cm | × 100 exact | m → cm |
Popular Length Conversions
Metric ↔ Imperial
Within Metric
Within Imperial
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert between metric and imperial length units?
Use our converter above. The most common conversions are: 1 inch = 2.54 cm, 1 foot = 30.48 cm, 1 meter = 3.28084 feet, 1 mile = 1.609344 km. Enter any value and select your units for an instant result.
What is the difference between feet/inches and centimeters for height?
Feet and inches are used for human height in the US and UK (e.g., 5 ft 10 in), while most countries use centimeters (e.g., 178 cm). Our specialized cm-to-feet-inches and feet-inches-to-cm converters handle this compound format directly.
How many kilometers are in a mile?
1 mile equals exactly 1.609344 kilometers. A marathon (26.2 miles) is approximately 42.2 km. For a quick estimate, multiply miles by 1.6 to get kilometers, or divide kilometers by 1.6 to get miles.
What length converters are available?
CoolConversion offers a universal length converter supporting 30+ units (metric, imperial, nautical, astronomical), plus specialized converters for height (cm to feet-inches), distance (km to miles-yards), and precision measurements (mm to inches with fractional display).
Specialized Converters
Advanced converters with multi-unit outputs, fractional precision, and context-specific ranges for height, distance, and engineering measurements.
Height & Body Measurements
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Inches to Feet & Inches
Convert total inches to feet + inches (e.g., 72 in = 6 ft 0 in). Common for height.
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Feet & Inches to Centimeters
Convert height in ft + in to centimeters (e.g., 5'10" = 177.8 cm).
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Centimeters to Feet & Inches
Convert height in cm to feet + inches (e.g., 175 cm ≈ 5'8.9").
Precision & Engineering
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Inches to Millimeters
Fractional inch to mm converter. Supports 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64 fractions.
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Millimeters to Inches
Convert mm to inches with fractional precision (1/16", 1/32", 1/64").
Distance & Multi-Unit
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Meters to Yards and Feet
Converts meters to yards AND feet simultaneously (e.g., 10 m = 10 yd 2 ft).
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Yards and Feet to Meters
Input yards plus feet, get meters and centimeters.
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Kilometers to Miles and Yards
Converts km to miles AND remaining yards (e.g., 5 km = 3 mi 188 yd).
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Steps to Miles & Feet
Convert step count to miles + feet with adjustable stride. 10,000 steps ≈ 4.73 miles.
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Miles to Steps
Reverse: convert miles to step count. 1 mile ≈ 2,112 steps at average stride.
Conversion Charts & Tables
Printable reference tables for common length conversions:
- Centimeters to Inches — 1 to 200 cm
- Inches to Centimeters — 1 to 100 in
- Meters to Feet — 1 to 100 m
- Feet to Meters — 1 to 100 ft
- Kilometers to Miles — 1 to 500 km
- Miles to Kilometers — 1 to 500 mi
- Inches to Millimeters — 1 to 50 in
- Millimeters to Inches — 1 to 100 mm
- Centimeters to Feet — 1 to 250 cm
- cm to Feet & Inches — height reference (40-250 cm)
- Feet & Inches to cm — height reference (1'4"-8'0")
- Inches to Feet & Inches — 1 to 120 in
- km to Miles & Yards — running distances (1-100 km)
- mm to Inches (Fractional) — 1-300 mm
- Inches to mm — 1-100 in
- Meters to Yards & Feet — 1-200 m
- Yards to Meters — 1-200 yd
- Yards to Feet — 1 to 100 yd
Related Converter Categories
- Area Converter — Area = length² (squared length factors)
- Speed Converter — Speed = distance ÷ time
- Volume Converter — Volume = length³ (cubic length factors)
