Change PowerPoint's Measurement System from Inches to Cms or Vice Versa by Changing Your Control Panel Settings

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated April 6, 2021

Applies to: Microsoft® PowerPoint® 2013, 2016, 2019 and 365 (Windows)

When you're working on your slide decks in PowerPoint, the Ruler and various dialog boxes or task panes (such as picture or object size) display in inches or centimetres (cm). If you want to change your measurement system from inches to centimetres or vice versa, you'll need to change your control panel settings for your device. Unfortunately, unlike Microsoft Word, you can't change the measurement system directly in PowerPoint.

Below is the Control Panel in Windows 10:

Control Panel in Windows 10.

Recommended article: How to Quickly Remove All Animations in PowerPoint Presentations

Do you want to learn more about PowerPoint? Check out our virtual classroom or live classroom PowerPoint courses >

Changing PowerPoint's Measurement System in Windows 10

To change PowerPoint's measurement system in Windows 10:

  1. Close PowerPoint.
  2. Click Start on the bottom left, type Control Panel in the search box and press Enter. The Control Panel displays in Windows 10.
  3. In the Control Panel, click Clock, Language and Region. A dialog box appears.
  4. Click Region. A dialog box appears.
  5. Click Additional settings. The Customize Format dialog box appears.
  6. Under Measurement system, select Metric if you want your measurements in centimetres or U.S. if you want your measurements in inches.
  7. Click OK twice.
  8. Start PowerPoint. The Ruler, dialog boxes and task panes will now display measurements in the system you chose.

Below is the Customize Format dialog box in the Control Panel:

Customize Format dilaog box in Windows Control Panel to change measurement system units in PowerPoint or Excel from cm to inches or vice versa.

Subscribe to get more articles like this one

Did you find this article helpful? If you would like to receive new articles, join our email list.

More resources

How to Turn Off Automatic Text Resizing in PowerPoint

10 Ways to Compress PowerPoint Presentations to Reduce File Size

How to Quickly Remove All Speaker Notes in a PowerPoint Presentation

How to Crop an Image into a Circle in PowerPoint (Crop to Shape Method)

How to Change the Background of PowerPoint Slides to a Color, Gradient or Picture

Related courses

Microsoft PowerPoint: Intermediate / Advanced

Microsoft PowerPoint: Design for Non-Designers

Microsoft PowerPoint: Animations Bootcamp

Microsoft Excel: Intermediate / Advanced

VIEW MORE COURSES >

Our instructor-led courses are delivered in virtual classroom format or at our downtown Toronto location at 18 King Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (some in-person classroom courses may also be delivered at an alternate downtown Toronto location). Contact us at info@avantixlearning.ca if you'd like to arrange custom instructor-led virtual classroom or onsite training on a date that's convenient for you.

Copyright 2024 Avantix® Learning

You may also like

How to Insert or Type U with an Accent Mark in PowerPoint (Ù, Ú, Û, Ü, ù, ú, û, or ü)

How to Insert or Type U with an Accent Mark in PowerPoint (Ù, Ú, Û, Ü, ù, ú, û, or ü)

You can insert or type u with an accent mark in PowerPoint using built-in tools or keyboard shortcuts (including Alt code shortcuts). The letter u can be inserted with an accent in both upper or lower case. The following are common accented characters that you can insert or type in PowerPoint in upper or lower case: grave (Ù or ù), acute (Ú or ú), circumflex (Û or û) and umlaut (Ü or ü).

How to Insert or Type O with an Accent Mark in PowerPoint (Ò, Ó, Ô, Õ, Ö, ò, ó, ô, õ or ö)

How to Insert or Type O with an Accent Mark in PowerPoint (Ò, Ó, Ô, Õ, Ö, ò, ó, ô, õ or ö)

You can insert or type o with an accent mark in PowerPoint using built-in tools or keyboard shortcuts (including Alt code shortcuts). The letter o can be inserted with an accent in both upper or lower case. The following are common accented characters that you can insert or type in PowerPoint in upper or lower case: grave (Ò or ò), acute (Ó or ó), circumflex (Ô or ô), tilde (Õ or õ) and umlaut (Ö or ö).

How to Insert or Type I with an Accent Mark in Word (Í, í, Ì, ì, Î, î, Ï, or ï)

How to Insert or Type I with an Accent Mark in Word (Í, í, Ì, ì, Î, î, Ï, or ï)

You can insert or type i with an accent mark in Word using built-in tools or keyboard shortcuts (including Alt code shortcuts). The letter i can be inserted with an accent in both upper or lower case. The following are common accented characters that you can insert or type in Word in upper or lower case: grave (Ì or ì), acute (Í or í), circumflex (Πor î) and umlaut (Ï or ï).

Microsoft, the Microsoft logo, Microsoft Office and related Microsoft applications and logos are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in Canada, US and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of the registered owners.

Avantix Learning |18 King Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5C 1C4 | Contact us at info@avantixlearning.ca

Summary
How to Change the Measurement System Units in PowerPoint (from Inch to Cm and Vice Versa)
Article Name
How to Change the Measurement System Units in PowerPoint (from Inch to Cm and Vice Versa)
Description
When you're working in PowerPoint, the Ruler and various dialog boxes or task panes (such as picture or object size) display in inches or centimetres (cm). If you want to change your measurement system from inches to centimetres or vice versa, you’ll need to change your control panel settings for your device.
Author
Publisher Name
Avantix Learning Inc.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This