Unit converter

Centimeters to Inches (cm to in)

One centimeter is 0.393701 inches, and one inch is exactly 2.54 centimeters. To convert cm to inches, divide by 2.54. The converter below works both ways and keeps full precision until the final rounding.

Convert cm to inches

cm to inches

10 cm = 3.93701 in

1 cm = 0.393701 in · 1 in = 2.54 cm

Show the math

in = cm ÷ 2.54

Uses exact legal definitions; results are rounded to 6 significant figures for display.

How to convert cm to inches

in = cm ÷ 2.54

One inch is exactly 2.54 centimeters, so divide by 2.54. If you'd rather multiply, use 0.393701 (rounded).

Worked example: converting 10 cm:

in = cm ÷ 2.54
10 cm ÷ 2.54 = 3.93701 in

Cm to inches conversion table

Common values, each computed with the exact formula and rounded to 6 significant figures.

Centimeters (cm) to Inches (in)
Centimeters (cm)	Inches (in)	Feet + inches
1 cm	0.393701 in	0 ft 0.4 in
2 cm	0.787402 in	0 ft 0.8 in
3 cm	1.1811 in	0 ft 1.2 in
4 cm	1.5748 in	0 ft 1.6 in
5 cm	1.9685 in	0 ft 2 in
6 cm	2.3622 in	0 ft 2.4 in
7 cm	2.75591 in	0 ft 2.8 in
8 cm	3.14961 in	0 ft 3.1 in
9 cm	3.54331 in	0 ft 3.5 in
10 cm	3.93701 in	0 ft 3.9 in
12 cm	4.72441 in	0 ft 4.7 in
15 cm	5.90551 in	0 ft 5.9 in
20 cm	7.87402 in	0 ft 7.9 in
21 cm	8.26772 in	0 ft 8.3 in
25 cm	9.84252 in	0 ft 9.8 in
29.7 cm	11.6929 in	0 ft 11.7 in
30 cm	11.811 in	0 ft 11.8 in
40 cm	15.748 in	1 ft 3.7 in
50 cm	19.685 in	1 ft 7.7 in
60 cm	23.622 in	1 ft 11.6 in
70 cm	27.5591 in	2 ft 3.6 in
75 cm	29.5276 in	2 ft 5.5 in
80 cm	31.4961 in	2 ft 7.5 in
90 cm	35.4331 in	2 ft 11.4 in
100 cm	39.3701 in	3 ft 3.4 in
120 cm	47.2441 in	3 ft 11.2 in
150 cm	59.0551 in	4 ft 11.1 in
160 cm	62.9921 in	5 ft 3 in
170 cm	66.9291 in	5 ft 6.9 in
180 cm	70.8661 in	5 ft 10.9 in
190 cm	74.8031 in	6 ft 2.8 in
200 cm	78.7402 in	6 ft 6.7 in

Quick reference: everyday centimeters in inches

Width of a credit card (ISO ID-1, 8.56 cm)
8.56 cm = 3.37008 in
Width of A4 paper
21 cm = 8.26772 in
Height of A4 paper
29.7 cm = 11.6929 in
A standard 30 cm school ruler
30 cm = 11.811 in
One meter (100 cm)
100 cm = 39.3701 in

Paper, screens and everyday objects

International paper sizes are set in millimeters. A4 is 21.0 × 29.7 cm, which comes to 8.27 × 11.69 in, so it is narrower and longer than US Letter (8.5 × 11 in, or 21.59 × 27.94 cm). If you print a document laid out for one size on the other, the margins shift by roughly a quarter inch.

Screens work the other way: they are sold by their diagonal in inches, even in metric countries. A spec sheet that lists a 68.6 cm panel is describing a 27-inch monitor. If you need the floor area a piece of furniture takes up rather than its length, convert each side and multiply, or use the square footage calculator.

Height in cm to feet and inches

People often convert height. Divide by 2.54 to get total inches, then take out multiples of 12 for the feet. For example, 175 cm ÷ 2.54 = 68.9 in, which is 5 ft 8.9 in. The table's third column shows that split for common heights.

Round only at the end. If you round 175 cm to 69 in and then convert back, you get 175.26 cm. That's harmless for a profile form, but it adds up if you're cutting lumber or fabric to a list of converted measurements.

Frequently asked questions

Why is an inch exactly 2.54 centimeters?

In 1959 the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa agreed to define the yard as exactly 0.9144 meters. One inch is 1/36 of a yard, so it became exactly 2.54 cm. Before that agreement, the US and UK inch differed by a few parts per million.

Is dividing by 2.5 close enough?

Dividing by 2.5 overstates the result by 1.6%. For 50 cm it gives 20 in instead of 19.69 in. That's fine for a rough idea of size, but it adds up on longer measurements: at 200 cm the error is about 1.3 inches. For anything you will cut, sew or order, divide by 2.54.

How do I convert cm to inches with fractions, like on a tape measure?

Divide by 2.54 to get decimal inches, then multiply just the decimal part by 16 and round to get sixteenths. For example, 10 cm = 3.937 in; 0.937 × 16 = 15, so it is about 3 15/16 in. For small parts, the mm to inches page shows fractions down to 1/32 inch.