Walking and running converter
Miles to Steps Converter
Enter a distance in miles, then your height and pace. You get your estimated steps, kilometers, time and calories.
Result
2,279 steps
1 mi × 63,360 in ÷ 27.8 in per step ≈ 2,279 steps (step length from your height and pace)
- Step length used 27.8 in
- Kilometers 1.61 km
- Time at this pace 20 min
- Calories burned Add your weight
- Type the distance in miles.
- Set your height, gender and pace; add your weight for calories.
- Read your estimated steps. Measured your step length? Add it for a closer figure.
Miles to steps chart (5 ft 7 in adult)
| Miles | Average walk | Brisk walk | Jog | Run |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 mi | 570 | 488 | 434 | 346 |
| 0.5 mi | 1,139 | 977 | 868 | 692 |
| 1 mi | 2,279 | 1,953 | 1,736 | 1,384 |
| 1.5 mi | 3,418 | 2,930 | 2,604 | 2,075 |
| 2 mi | 4,557 | 3,906 | 3,472 | 2,767 |
| 3 mi | 6,836 | 5,860 | 5,209 | 4,151 |
| 4 mi | 9,115 | 7,813 | 6,945 | 5,534 |
| 5 mi | 11,394 | 9,766 | 8,681 | 6,918 |
| 6.2 mi | 14,128 | 12,110 | 10,764 | 8,578 |
| 10 mi | 22,787 | 19,532 | 17,362 | 13,835 |
| 13.1 mi | 29,851 | 25,587 | 22,744 | 18,124 |
| 26.2 mi | 59,703 | 51,174 | 45,488 | 36,248 |
The Miles to Steps Converter above estimates how many steps it takes you to cover a distance, based on your height, gender and whether you are walking or running. It also shows the distance in kilometers, how long it takes at that pace, and, if you add your weight, roughly how many calories you burn. Because every person's steps are a different length, this guide explains exactly how the estimate is made and how to make it more accurate for you.
How many steps are in a mile?
For a 5 ft 7 in adult, the converter estimates:
| Pace | Speed | Step length | Steps per mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slow walk | 2 mph | 21.6 in | about 2,930 |
| Average walk | 3 mph | 27.8 in | about 2,279 |
| Brisk walk | 4 mph | 32.4 in | about 1,953 |
| Jog | 6 mph | 36.5 in | about 1,736 |
| Run | 8 mph | 45.8 in | about 1,384 |
That is why the familiar rule of thumb of "about 2,000 steps per mile" is only right for some people. A slow stroll can take nearly 3,000 steps, while a fast run can take fewer than 1,400.
How the converter estimates your steps
Converting miles to steps comes down to one number: how far you travel with each step. Once that is known, the maths is simple:
steps = miles × 63,360 ÷ step length in inches
There are 63,360 inches in a mile (5,280 feet × 12). The converter works out your step length in two parts:
- Your walking step, from your height. At an ordinary walking pace, a step is about 41.5 percent of your height for men and 41.3 percent for women. This is the same rule many pedometers use by default. At 5 ft 7 in (67 inches), that is about 27.8 inches.
- An adjustment for pace. People take longer steps as they speed up, and more steps each minute. The converter uses typical step rates (about 90 steps a minute at 2 mph, 105 at 3 mph, 120 at 4 mph, 160 when jogging at 6 mph and 170 when running at 8 mph) to scale your step length to the pace you choose.
If you have measured your own step length, open "More accuracy" in the tool and enter it. The converter then uses your real number instead of the estimate, which is the single best way to make the result match your tracker.
How height changes the answer
Taller people take longer steps and need fewer of them. At an average 3 mph walk:
| Height | Steps per mile |
|---|---|
| 5 ft 0 in | about 2,545 |
| 5 ft 4 in | about 2,386 |
| 5 ft 7 in | about 2,279 |
| 5 ft 10 in | about 2,181 |
| 6 ft 2 in | about 2,063 |
How to measure your own step length
- Find a distance you know, such as a 100 ft stretch marked with a tape measure, or a running track (one lap of the inside lane is 400 meters, about 15,748 inches).
- Walk it at your normal pace and count your steps. Start walking a few steps before the line so you are at full stride.
- Divide the distance in inches by the number of steps. For 100 ft (1,200 inches) in 43 steps, your step is 1,200 ÷ 43 = 27.9 inches.
- Repeat at the pace you care about. Your running step will be noticeably longer than your walking step.
A note on words: in gait science a stride is two steps (from one foot landing to the same foot landing again). Fitness trackers often call a single step the "stride length". This converter always means a single step.
Steps for popular distances
| Distance | Average walk | Jog (6 mph) |
|---|---|---|
| 5K (3.1 mi) | about 7,080 | about 5,394 |
| 5 miles | about 11,394 | about 8,681 |
| 10K (6.2 mi) | about 14,159 | about 10,788 |
| Half marathon (13.1 mi) | about 29,873 | about 22,760 |
| Marathon (26.2 mi) | about 59,745 | about 45,520 |
All for a 5 ft 7 in adult. Enter your own height in the converter for a personal figure.
Time and calories
The converter divides the distance by your chosen speed to give the time. For calories it uses the standard MET method from the Compendium of Physical Activities, which rates each activity by how much energy it takes compared with resting:
calories = MET × body weight in kg × hours
The MET values used are 2.8 for a 2 mph walk, 3.5 at 3 mph, 5.0 at 4 mph, 9.8 for jogging at 6 mph and 11.8 for running at 8 mph. For example, a 150 lb person walking one mile at 3 mph burns about 79 calories in 20 minutes. Treat calorie figures as a guide; fitness, terrain and individual metabolism all shift the real number.
Counting steps the other way? Use the Steps to Miles Converter to turn your daily step count into miles.
Miles to steps FAQs
How many steps are in a mile walking?
Usually between about 2,000 and 2,500 steps at a normal walking pace, depending on your height. A 5 ft 7 in adult walking at 3 mph takes about 2,279 steps.
How many steps is 5 miles?
About 11,394 steps for a 5 ft 7 in adult at an average walking pace, or about 8,681 steps jogging.
Do you take fewer steps when running?
Yes. Running steps are longer, so a mile takes fewer of them: about 1,736 steps jogging and about 1,384 running fast, compared with about 2,279 walking.
How accurate is a miles to steps estimate?
Estimates from height are a good starting point, but real step length varies with leg length, fitness, footwear and terrain. For the closest result, measure your own step length and enter it under "More accuracy".
Why does my phone show a different number?
Phones and watches estimate step length too, usually from the height in your profile, and some adjust it with GPS. If your profile height is wrong, both the step count and the distance will be off.