Feet to Inches Converter

The Feet to Inches Converter above gives you the total number of inches in any measurement written in feet, or in feet and inches together, such as 5 ft 7 in. It also shows the same length in centimeters, meters and yards, so you can move straight on to metric if you need to. This guide explains the formula, the decimal-feet trap that catches a lot of people, and where this conversion comes up in daily life.

How to convert feet to inches

There are 12 inches in one foot, so to convert feet to inches you multiply by 12:

inches = feet × 12

If the measurement already has some inches, add them on afterwards:

total inches = (feet × 12) + extra inches

That is exactly what the converter does when you fill in both boxes. Leave the inches box empty if your measurement is in whole or decimal feet only.

Worked examples

• 5 ft 7 in to inches: (5 × 12) + 7 = 60 + 7 = 67 in.
• 6 ft to inches: 6 × 12 = 72 in.
• 8 ft to inches: 8 × 12 = 96 in, the most common ceiling height in American homes.
• 2.5 ft to inches: 2.5 × 12 = 30 in.
• 3 ft to inches: 3 × 12 = 36 in, which is one yard.

Decimal feet are not feet and inches

This is the single most common mistake with feet. A measurement of 5.5 ft is 5 ft 6 in, not 5 ft 5 in. The number after the decimal point is a fraction of a foot, not a number of inches, so it has to be multiplied by 12 before it means inches.

Decimal feet	Fraction of a foot	Inches
0.1 ft	1/10	1.2 in
0.25 ft	1/4	3 in
0.5 ft	1/2	6 in
0.75 ft	3/4	9 in
5.75 ft	5 and 3/4	69 in (5 ft 9 in)

Surveys, tape measures used by builders and many spreadsheets use decimal feet, while height charts and furniture listings use feet and inches. Type decimal feet into the first box and the converter handles the difference for you.

Where you will use feet to inches

• Height forms and medical records often ask for total inches. Someone who is 5 ft 4 in tall is 64 inches.
• Room and furniture planning. A sofa listed at 84 inches is 7 feet long; checking it against a 7 ft 2 in wall (86 inches) leaves just 2 inches to spare.
• Lumber. Boards are sold by length in feet but cut in inches. Note that a "2 by 4" is a nominal size; the actual board is 1.5 by 3.5 inches.
• TVs, windows and doors. Product dimensions are usually in inches while room measurements are in feet, so converting one side avoids costly mistakes.

Going further: feet to centimeters

Once you have total inches, multiply by 2.54 to get centimeters. 67 inches × 2.54 = 170.18 cm, which is why the converter shows 5 ft 7 in as about 170 cm. For the full metric conversion, the Feet to Meters Converter gives meters directly, and the Cm to Inches Converter goes the other way.

Feet to inches FAQs

How many inches are in a foot?

Exactly 12 inches.

How many inches is 5 foot 4?

5 ft 4 in is (5 × 12) + 4 = 64 inches.

How many inches are in 3 feet?

36 inches, which is the same as one yard.

How do I write feet and inches correctly?

The common shorthand uses a single prime for feet and a double prime for inches: 5′ 7″. In plain text, 5 ft 7 in is clearer and avoids confusion with quotation marks.

How do I convert inches back to feet?

Divide by 12. The whole number is the feet and the remainder is the inches: 70 inches ÷ 12 = 5 remainder 10, so 5 ft 10 in.

Can I enter a decimal number of feet?

Yes. Enter 5.75 in the feet box and leave the inches box empty, and the converter returns 69 inches.