How to convert inches to centimeters
Every inch is 2.54 centimeters, so the conversion is a single multiplication:
Worked example: 25 in → 25 × 2.54 = 63.5 cm.
Quick mental estimate: Multiply by 2.5: 25 × 2.5 ≈ 62.5 cm (exact: 63.5).
Inches to centimeters conversion table
| Inches (in) | Centimeters (cm) |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 2.54 cm |
| 2 in | 5.08 cm |
| 3 in | 7.62 cm |
| 5 in | 12.7 cm |
| 10 in | 25.4 cm |
| 15 in | 38.1 cm |
| 20 in | 50.8 cm |
| 25 in | 63.5 cm |
| 50 in | 127 cm |
| 75 in | 190.5 cm |
| 100 in | 254 cm |
| 200 in | 508 cm |
| 250 in | 635 cm |
| 500 in | 1,270 cm |
| 1,000 in | 2,540 cm |
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 inches 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 inch is 2.54 centimeters, so converting inches to centimeters should make the number larger. If it moved the other way, the conversion was applied backwards — the reverse converter is one click away.
About the units
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
How many centimeters are in 1 inch?
1 inch equals 2.54 centimeters. To convert any value, multiply the number of inches by 2.54.
How do I convert inches to centimeters in my head?
Multiply by 2.5: 25 × 2.5 ≈ 62.5 cm (exact: 63.5).
Is the in to cm conversion exact?
1 inch is defined as exactly 2.54 cm since the 1959 international agreement, so this conversion is exact.
How do I convert inches to centimeters in Excel or Google Sheets?
Put the value in A1 and use =A1*2.54. Both Excel and Google Sheets also have a built-in function, =CONVERT(A1,"in","cm"), 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.