BYTETOOLS

Shoe Size Converter

Convert between UK, US men's, US women's, EU and Japanese shoe sizes using the barleycorn and Paris-point relationships, with the foot length each size fits.

8
UK
9
US men
10.5
US women
42
EU
26.5
Japan (cm)

Exact figures and the foot it fits

  • UK size (unrounded) = 8.00
  • Last length = (UK + 25) / 3 inches = 27.94 cm
  • EU = 1.5 × last length in cm = 41.91
  • US men = UK + 1, US women = UK + 2.5
  • Foot length = last − 1.5 cm allowance = 26.44 cm (10.41 in)
  • Half-size step = 1/6 inch = 0.423 cm, so this size covers roughly 26.2–26.7 cm

Sizes are rounded to the nearest half size in the tiles above; the unrounded figures are here so you can see when you sit between two sizes.

Measure your foot

202122232425262728293031323326.4 cm
  1. Stand on a sheet of paper with your heel against a wall, wearing the socks you will wear with the shoes.
  2. Mark the paper at the tip of your longest toe, then measure heel-to-mark in centimetres.
  3. Measure both feet late in the day and use the longer one.
  4. Choose “Foot length in centimetres” above and type the number in.

The scale above is drawn to the page, not to a printed millimetre, so use a real ruler or tape for the measurement — the drawing is there to show where your length falls in the usual range.

Full conversion table

UKUS menUS womenEUJapan (cm)Foot length (cm)
3.04.05.535.522.022.2
3.54.56.036.022.522.6
4.05.06.537.023.023.1
4.55.57.037.523.523.5
5.06.07.538.024.023.9
5.56.58.038.524.524.3
6.07.08.539.524.524.7
6.57.59.040.025.025.2
7.08.09.540.525.525.6
7.58.510.041.526.026.0
8.09.010.542.026.526.4
8.59.511.042.527.026.9
9.010.011.543.027.527.3
9.510.512.044.027.527.7
10.011.012.544.528.028.1
10.511.513.045.028.528.6
11.012.013.545.529.029.0
11.512.514.046.529.529.4
12.013.014.547.030.029.8
12.513.515.047.530.530.3
13.014.015.548.530.530.7
13.514.516.049.031.031.1
14.015.016.549.531.531.5

Shoe sizing is not standardised between brands. This table is built from the barleycorn relationships that underpin UK and US sizing plus the Paris-point definition of EU sizing; individual makers round differently and cut lasts to their own shape, so treat any conversion as a starting point.

What is the Shoe Size Converter?

The ByteTools Shoe Size Converter works from the measurements the sizing systems are actually built on.

  • Seven input systems: UK, US men, US women, EU, Japan/Mondopoint, foot cm and foot inches
  • Built on the barleycorn and Paris-point definitions, with the arithmetic shown
  • Editable last allowance so you can tune it to a brand that runs long or short
  • Foot length in cm and inches plus the length range each half size covers
  • Full UK 3–14 conversion table with your size highlighted
  • Step-by-step guide to measuring your foot at home

How to use the Shoe Size Converter

  1. 1

    Choose the sizing system you are converting from — including plain foot length in centimetres or inches.

  2. 2

    Type the size or the measurement into the field next to it.

  3. 3

    Adjust the last allowance if you know your brand runs long or short; 1.5 cm suits most.

  4. 4

    Read the equivalent UK, US men's, US women's, EU and Japanese sizes in the tiles.

  5. 5

    Check the full table below, where your row is highlighted, and copy the results.

About the Shoe Size Converter

The ByteTools Shoe Size Converter works from the measurements the sizing systems are actually built on. UK sizes count barleycorns of one third of an inch along the last, US men's sizes sit one size above UK, US women's one and a half above that, and EU sizes are Paris points of two thirds of a centimetre — so EU is 1.5 times the last length in centimetres.

Because those relationships describe the shoe's last rather than your foot, the tool also asks for the last allowance, the extra length a shoe carries beyond the foot inside it. The default of 1.5 cm is typical; change it and every foot-length figure moves with it. You get the foot length in centimetres and inches, the range each half size covers, and a full UK 3 to 14 table with your size highlighted.

Everything is calculated in your browser and nothing is uploaded, so the page also works offline. Be aware that shoe sizing is not standardised between brands: the formulas here reproduce the published UK, US and EU definitions faithfully, but every maker cuts its own lasts and rounds differently, so treat any conversion as a well-informed starting point rather than a guarantee of fit.

Frequently asked questions

What is a UK size 8 in US and EU sizes?

A UK 8 is a US men's 9, a US women's 10.5 and roughly an EU 42. The last length works out at 27.9 cm, which suits a foot of about 26.4 cm with a normal 1.5 cm allowance. Different brands round the EU figure to 41.5 or 42.5, so check the maker's own chart when you can.

How do I measure my foot for shoe size?

Stand on paper with your heel against a wall, wearing the socks you will wear with the shoes, and mark the tip of your longest toe. Measure heel to mark in centimetres. Do both feet late in the day, when they are at their largest, and use the longer one.

What is the difference between US men's and US women's shoe sizes?

US women's sizes run 1.5 numbers higher than US men's for the same physical length, so a men's 9 and a women's 10.5 fit the same length of foot. Widths usually differ too — women's lasts are typically cut narrower for the same length.

How are EU shoe sizes calculated?

EU sizes use the Paris point, which is two thirds of a centimetre, so the size is 1.5 times the length of the last in centimetres. That is why EU sizes rise in steps of about 6.7 mm and why there are no true half sizes in the system, only whole Paris points.

Are shoe size conversions exact?

No, and any chart that claims to be is overselling it. The formulas here reproduce the published UK, US and EU definitions faithfully, but every brand cuts its own lasts and rounds differently, so the same nominal size can vary by a third of a size or more between makers.

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