Convert Ounces (fl oz) to Cups
1 ounce equals 0.125 cups.
Ounce to Cup Converter
What Is an Ounce?
The fluid ounce (fl oz) is a US customary unit of volume equal to approximately 29.574 milliliters. It is used for beverages, cooking, and liquid measurements in the US.
What Is a Cup?
A cup is a US customary volume unit equal to 8 fluid ounces or 236.588 mL. It is the standard measure in US cooking and baking.
Ounce to Cup Formula
The conversion formula is:
cups = fluid ounces ÷ 8
Exact: 8 fluid ounces = 1 US cup.
Worked Example
Convert 12 fluid ounces (a standard can):
- Calculate: 12 ÷ 8 = 1.5 cups
Common Use Cases
This conversion is needed regularly in:
- Interpreting nutrition labels: Beverage labels list serving sizes in fluid ounces (a can of soda is 12 fl oz = 1.5 cups), helping you track liquid intake using cup-based dietary recommendations like "8 cups of water per day."
- Recipe scaling: When a recipe lists a liquid ingredient in ounces but your measuring tools show cups, dividing by 8 gives the answer instantly. A 14 oz can of coconut milk is 1¾ cups.
- Beverage serving sizes: Restaurant and café drink sizes are in ounces (tall = 12 oz, grande = 16 oz, venti = 20 oz). Converting to cups (1.5, 2, and 2.5 cups) helps estimate caffeine or calorie intake.
- Baby bottle conversion: Baby bottles are marked in ounces, but feeding guides sometimes reference cup equivalents. A typical 8 oz bottle is exactly 1 cup; a 4 oz feeding is ½ cup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cups is 16 oz?
16 fluid ounces equals exactly 2 cups, which is also 1 US pint. This is the size of a typical water bottle, a standard pint glass, and many single-serving drink containers. It is one of the most commonly looked-up conversions.
Is the 8-oz cup the same as a "glass of water"?
The "8 glasses of water per day" recommendation typically means eight 8-oz servings, totaling 64 oz (8 cups or half a gallon). However, actual drinking glasses vary from 8 to 16 oz. One standard US measuring cup is exactly 8 fl oz = 236.6 mL.
How do I convert ounces on a food can to cups?
Canned goods are labeled by net weight (avoirdupois ounces), not by fluid volume. For thin liquids like broth, the numbers happen to be similar, but for thick or solid foods the volume will differ significantly from the weight. Always check the nutrition label for the actual serving size in cups when precision matters.
What is the difference between a US cup and a metric cup?
A US cup is 8 US fl oz = 236.588 mL. A metric cup (used in Australia, New Zealand, and some international recipes) is exactly 250 mL = 8.454 US fl oz. The metric cup is about 5.7% larger. Japanese cups are even smaller at 200 mL. Always check which cup system a recipe uses.
Common Fluid Ounces to Cups for Cooking Recipes
Recipe-friendly amounts with exact cup equivalents. Each row links to its dedicated conversion page:
| Fluid Ounces | Cups |
|---|---|
| 1 fl oz | ⅛ cup |
| 2 fl oz | ¼ cup |
| 4 fl oz | ½ cup |
| 6 fl oz | ¾ cup |
| 8 fl oz | 1 cup |
| 12 fl oz | 1½ cups |
| 16 fl oz | 2 cups (1 pint) |
| 24 fl oz | 3 cups |
| 32 fl oz | 4 cups (1 quart) |
Cooking Notes & Cross-References
Fluid ounces vs. weight ounces: This converter uses fluid ounces, which measure volume. A fluid ounce of water weighs approximately 1.04 ounces by weight, but for other ingredients the difference can be large — for instance, 1 cup of all-purpose flour is 8 fluid ounces by volume but only about 4.25 ounces by weight (120 g).
Cup sizes vary by country. This converter uses US customary cups (236.588 mL). Metric cups (250 mL) used in Australia and New Zealand, and Imperial cups (284.131 mL) used in some UK recipes, give different results. Always check which system your recipe uses.
See our complete Cooking Measurement Guide for a quick-reference chart with all cup, tablespoon, and teaspoon equivalencies.
Need to convert the other way? Use our Cups to Fluid Ounces converter.
Ounces to cups Conversion Table
Reference table with common ounces to cups conversions. All values calculated with high precision.
Ounces to Cups Table
0.001 to 5
Ounces to Cups Table
10 to 1000000
Cups to Ounces Table
1 to 100000
Looking for the reverse? Convert Cup to Ounce
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- Grams to Ounces — Recipes often need both volume (cups) and weight (g/oz)
