Centimetres to inches (cm to in), decimals and fractions

Convert centimetres to inches (1 in = 2.54 cm exactly), with a quick-reference table up to 150 cm.

Fromcentimetre (cm)

Toinch (in)

0.39

Decimals2 decimals

Formula: in = cm × 0.393700787402

1 cm = 0.39 in

Common values: centimetre to inch

cm	in
1 cm	0.39 in
2 cm	0.79 in
3 cm	1.18 in
5 cm	1.97 in
10 cm	3.94 in
15 cm	5.91 in
20 cm	7.87 in
25 cm	9.84 in
30 cm	11.81 in
40 cm	15.75 in
50 cm	19.69 in
60 cm	23.62 in
75 cm	29.53 in
100 cm	39.37 in
150 cm	59.06 in

How it works

An inch is exactly 2.54 cm, so inches = centimetres ÷ 2.54 (equivalently × 0.3937008). A 30 cm ruler is 11.81 in, a 60 cm-wide cabinet is 23.62 in and a 100 cm waist is 39.37 in.

Typical uses: sizing clothes from a European size chart in centimetres, checking whether furniture listed in cm fits a space you measured in inches, or reading product dimensions on an import. For heights, the feet-and-inches converter splits the result into feet and inches.

How to convert centimetres to inches

Formula: in = cm × 0.393700787402.

Divide the centimetres by 2.54, the exact number of centimetres in an inch. Worked example for a 60 cm cabinet: 60 ÷ 2.54 = 23.622 in, which is 23.62 in to two decimals.

Tape measures in inches are marked in fractions, not decimals. Multiply the decimal part by 16 and round to get sixteenths: 0.622 × 16 ≈ 10, and 10/16 = 5/8, so the cabinet measures 23 5/8 in on an imperial tape.

Inches to centimetres: the reverse direction, cm = in × 2.54

cm to in chart

Each row is computed with the same exact factor as the converter above and rounded only for display.

Centimetres	Inches (decimal)	Inches (nearest 1/16)	Feet and inches
0.5 cm	0.197 in	3/16 in	0 ft 0.2 in
1 cm	0.394 in	3/8 in	0 ft 0.4 in
2 cm	0.787 in	13/16 in	0 ft 0.8 in
2.5 cm	0.984 in	1 in	0 ft 1 in
3 cm	1.181 in	1 3/16 in	0 ft 1.2 in
5 cm	1.969 in	1 15/16 in	0 ft 2 in
10 cm	3.937 in	3 15/16 in	0 ft 3.9 in
15 cm	5.906 in	5 7/8 in	0 ft 5.9 in
20 cm	7.874 in	7 7/8 in	0 ft 7.9 in
21 cm	8.268 in	8 1/4 in	0 ft 8.3 in
25 cm	9.843 in	9 13/16 in	0 ft 9.8 in
29.7 cm	11.693 in	11 11/16 in	0 ft 11.7 in
30 cm	11.811 in	11 13/16 in	0 ft 11.8 in
40 cm	15.748 in	15 3/4 in	1 ft 3.7 in
45 cm	17.717 in	17 11/16 in	1 ft 5.7 in
50 cm	19.685 in	19 11/16 in	1 ft 7.7 in
60 cm	23.622 in	23 5/8 in	1 ft 11.6 in
75 cm	29.528 in	29 1/2 in	2 ft 5.5 in
90 cm	35.433 in	35 7/16 in	2 ft 11.4 in
100 cm	39.37 in	39 3/8 in	3 ft 3.4 in

Everyday centimetres-to-inches examples

The long side of an A4 sheet: 29.7 cm = 11.69 in.
A European waist size of 81 cm on a jeans label: 81 cm = 31.89 in.
A 35 cm laptop-bag compartment: 35 cm = 13.78 in.
The height of a 35 × 45 mm passport photo: 4.5 cm = 1.77 in.
A 160 cm-wide double bed, a common European size: 160 cm = 62.99 in.

How to use it

Type the value in the first box; the converted value appears in the second box as you type.
Or type in the second box to convert the other way.
Use the Decimals menu to round, and the quick-reference table for common values.

Frequently asked questions

How many inches is 1 cm?

0.3937 in. Put the other way, 1 in = 2.54 cm exactly.

How do I convert cm to feet and inches?

Divide by 2.54 for inches, then by 12 for feet: 170 cm = 66.93 in = 5 ft 6.9 in. The feet-and-inches to cm page does this split for you.

Why does my tape measure show 30.5 cm at 12 inches?

Because 12 in × 2.54 = 30.48 cm, which rounds to 30.5 on a tape with millimetre marks.

Is the conversion exact?

Yes. The inch has been defined as exactly 25.4 mm since 1959, so any error comes only from rounding the displayed result.