Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Changing Measurement Units.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 7, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Word allows you to modify your work environment extensively. One of the changes you can make involves the default units of measurement used in dialog boxes and on the ruler. By default, Word uses inches, but you can customize the program so it will use centimeters, picas, points, or millimeters.
To change the default measurement units, follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Display section of the Advanced options in the Word Options dialog box.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (6698) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Changing Measurement Units.
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2021-05-16 06:29:49
John Mann
@Ronald On my computer (Windows 10 Region Canada) if I set the units to cm in the options, then that's what appears as the units in the Custom Margins dialogue box.
If your system is defaulting to inches, then maybe you need to look at the regional settings in Windows
2020-06-10 02:29:23
aniket
thanks it helped:)
2020-05-20 06:56:53
Ronald
You can switch the measurement unit, but that doesn't change the default sizes and spacings.
I have word set to use A4 paper and dimensions in cm but it still defaults to 1" margins (2.54cm) and 1/2" indents (1.27cm).
With the entire world except the USA and UK now using the metric system, isn't it time Word makes that the default?
2020-04-19 21:46:23
asdf asd f
Thank you- very helpful
2019-08-19 14:52:20
Bruce Burson
Peter Kirkpatrick, scroll down to see more selections in the blue box.
(see Figure 1 below)
Figure 1.
2019-05-16 00:23:06
Peter Kirkpatrick
I have recently switched to Office 365. This tip supposedly applies to that version, but I can't find the Options dialog box anywhere. Snap shot attached. (see Figure 1 below)
Figure 1.
2019-05-11 05:36:17
robomaster
This helped a lot. Thanks!
2019-04-01 21:48:39
GG
Thank you! I spent way too long trying to fix this. Your article saved me.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here:
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