Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365. 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.

Changing Measurement Units

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated February 7, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Microsoft 365

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:

Display the Word Options dialog box. (In Word 2007 click the Office button and then click Word Options. In Word 2010 or a later version display the File tab of the ribbon and then click Options.)
Click Advanced at the left side of the dialog box.
Scroll through the available options until you see the Display section. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Display section of the Advanced options in the Word Options dialog box.

Using the Show Measurements in Units Of drop-down list, select the units of measurement you want used by default.
Click on OK.

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 Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Changing Measurement Units.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Synchronized Workbook and Worksheet Names

When you work on older workbooks in Excel, you may notice that the name of the worksheet tab and the workbook itself are ...

Discover More

Embedding Fonts in Excel

Unlike some other programs (like Word), Excel doesn't provide a way for you to embed fonts in a workbook. Here's a ...

Discover More

Displaying Shortcut Keys in ScreenTips

ScreenTips can appear with or without shortcut keys displayed in them. Here's how to control whether they appear or not.

Discover More

Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Changing the Startup Directory

When you start Word, it makes an assumption about where your documents are stored. If you want to force Word to change ...

Discover More

Displaying the Developer Tab

The Developer tab of the ribbon is the gateway to many advanced features in Word, including those features related to ...

Discover More

Turning Off the 'Welcome Back' Notice

When you open a document that you previously edited, Word displays a message the right side of the screen about jumping ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is 2 + 2?

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

Thank you! I spent way too long trying to fix this. Your article saved me.

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.