How to convert centimeters to inches
Every centimeter is 0.3937 inches, so the conversion is a single multiplication:
Worked example: 25 cm → 25 × 0.393701 = 9.8425 in.
Quick mental estimate: Divide by 2.5: 25 ÷ 2.5 ≈ 10 in (exact: 9.8425).
Centimeters to inches conversion table
| Centimeters (cm) | Inches (in) |
|---|---|
| 1 cm | 0.3937 in |
| 2 cm | 0.7874 in |
| 3 cm | 1.1811 in |
| 5 cm | 1.9685 in |
| 10 cm | 3.937 in |
| 15 cm | 5.9055 in |
| 20 cm | 7.874 in |
| 25 cm | 9.8425 in |
| 50 cm | 19.6851 in |
| 75 cm | 29.5276 in |
| 100 cm | 39.3701 in |
| 200 cm | 78.7402 in |
| 250 cm | 98.4253 in |
| 500 cm | 196.85 in |
| 1,000 cm | 393.7 in |
Values rounded to four decimals. For a value that is not in the table, use the converter above — it accepts decimals and negative numbers.
When you need this conversion
- Buying anything sized abroad: screens, bike frames, luggage limits and clothing patterns switch between metric and imperial depending on where they were made.
- DIY and construction: timber, pipe diameters and fixings are stocked in one system or the other, and a plan drawn in one has to be ordered in the second.
- Travel and sport: race distances, altitudes and road signs change unit at almost every border.
Getting it right
The arithmetic is a single multiplication, so mistakes almost never come from the calculation itself — they come from the value that goes into it. Check that the figure you are converting really is in centimeters and not in a neighbouring unit, and that you have not already converted it once.
Sanity-check the direction of the result before you use it. One centimeter is 0.3937 inches, so converting centimeters to inches should make the number smaller. If it moved the other way, the conversion was applied backwards — the reverse converter is one click away.
About the units
Centimeter (cm)
The centimeter is one hundredth of a meter. It is the everyday metric unit for body height, paper sizes, furniture and anything you would measure with a ruler.
Inch (in)
The inch is one twelfth of a foot, fixed at exactly 2.54 centimeters by international agreement in 1959. Screens, paper, pipes and construction lumber in the US are all sized in inches.
Frequently asked questions
How many inches are in 1 centimeter?
1 centimeter equals 0.3937 inches. To convert any value, multiply the number of centimeters by 0.393701.
How do I convert centimeters to inches in my head?
Divide by 2.5: 25 ÷ 2.5 ≈ 10 in (exact: 9.8425).
Is the cm to in conversion exact?
1 inch is defined as exactly 2.54 cm, so the factor 0.393701 is 1 ÷ 2.54 rounded.
How do I convert centimeters to inches in Excel or Google Sheets?
Put the value in A1 and use =A1*0.393701. Both Excel and Google Sheets also have a built-in function, =CONVERT(A1,"cm","in"), which avoids typing the factor by hand.
How many decimal places should I keep?
For everyday use two decimals are plenty. Keep four if the result feeds another calculation, and round only at the very end — rounding intermediate steps is the most common reason a result comes out slightly wrong.