Shoe Size Converter | Convert shoe sizes accurately

Convert shoe sizes between US, UK, EU and Japanese sizing for men, women and kids, or work them out from your foot length in mm, cm or inches.


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Stand on paper, mark heel and longest toe, then measure between the marks.
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Full shoe size conversion charts

Click any row to load that size into the converter.

Men

USUKEUJapan (cm) Foot length
5.5 38.5 24 240 mm
6 39 24.5 245 mm
6.5 40 25 250 mm
7 40.5 25.4 254 mm
7.5 41 25.7 257 mm
8 42 26 260 mm
8.5 42.5 26.7 267 mm
9 43 27 270 mm
9.5 44 27.3 273 mm
10 44.5 27.9 279 mm
10.5 45 28.3 283 mm
11 45.5 28.6 286 mm
11.5 46 29.2 292 mm
12.5 47.5 30.2 302 mm
13.5 48.5 31 310 mm

Women

USUKEUJapan (cm) Foot length
3 35.5 22 220 mm
3.5 36 22.4 224 mm
4 36.5 22.9 229 mm
4.5 37 23.3 233 mm
5 37.5 23.7 237 mm
5.5 38 24 240 mm
6 38.5 24.5 245 mm
6.5 39 25 250 mm
7 40 25.4 254 mm
7.5 40.5 25.7 257 mm
8 41 26.2 262 mm
8.5 42 26.7 267 mm
9 42.5 27 270 mm
9.5 43 27.3 273 mm
10 43.5 27.8 278 mm

Kids and youth

USUKEUJapan (cm) Foot length
9 27 16.5 165 mm
10 28 17.1 171 mm
11 30 18.1 181 mm
12 31 19.1 191 mm
13 32 19.7 197 mm
1 33 20.6 206 mm
2 34 21.6 216 mm
3 35 22.2 222 mm
4 36 22.9 229 mm
5 37 23.5 235 mm
6 38 24.1 241 mm

Why shoe sizes never quite match

Each system measures something slightly different. The US and UK scales are based on the length of the shoe last in barleycorns, an old unit of one third of an inch, with the UK scale starting from a different zero point. The European system uses Paris points, two thirds of a centimetre, and measures the last rather than the foot. Japan simply states the foot length in centimetres, which is the most honest of the four. Because the underlying units do not divide evenly into one another, conversions are always approximate.

Measuring your feet properly

Put a sheet of paper on a hard floor against a wall, stand on it with your heel touching the wall, and mark the tip of your longest toe. That is not always the big toe. Measure from the edge of the paper to the mark. Do both feet, because most people have one foot up to half a size larger, and always fit shoes to the bigger one.

Measure at the end of the day

Feet swell through the day and can be noticeably larger by evening, especially after standing or walking. Measuring first thing in the morning is the most common reason shoes turn out too tight. Wear the socks you would normally wear with the shoes, since thick socks can easily account for half a size.

Practical advice

  • Leave about 1 cm between your longest toe and the end of the shoe, roughly a thumb width.
  • Width matters as much as length. Two shoes of the same length in different widths fit completely differently, and a too-narrow shoe often gets mistaken for one that is too short.
  • Sizing varies between brands, and often between models from the same brand. Treat any converted size as a starting point, not a guarantee.
  • Running shoes are usually bought half a size up, because feet swell and slide forward on descents.
  • Children need checking every few months. A growing foot can change size several times a year.

Frequently asked questions

EU 39 is roughly a US mens 6.5 or a US womens 8, for a foot around 245 mm long. The European scale does not split by gender the way the US one does, which is why a single EU number maps to two different US numbers. Enter any size above to see the full set of equivalents.

Add roughly 1.5 to go from a US mens size to the equivalent US womens size, so a mens 8 is about a womens 9.5. Going the other way, subtract 1.5. The conversion is only about length: womens lasts are usually cut narrower through the heel, so the same length can still fit quite differently.

A 25 cm foot is about a US mens 7 or a US womens 8.5, and around EU 40. Japanese sizing states the foot length directly in centimetres, so a Japanese 25 simply means a 250 mm foot, which makes it the easiest system to convert from once you have measured.

Stand on a sheet of paper with your heel against a wall, mark the tip of your longest toe, and measure from the paper edge to the mark in millimetres. Do it late in the day, wearing your usual socks, and measure both feet. Use the larger measurement, since most people have one foot slightly bigger than the other.

No. A US mens size is about half a size to a full size larger in number than the equivalent UK size, so a UK 8 is roughly a US 9 in mens. Both scales use the same barleycorn increments but start counting from different points, which is why the gap stays fairly constant.

Because a size describes the last the shoe was built on, not your foot. Different brands use different lasts, and the same brand varies between models. Width, instep height and toe box shape all affect fit as much as length does, which is why a converted size should be treated as a starting point.

Usually yes, by about half a size. Feet swell during a run and slide forward on downhills, so the extra room stops your toes hitting the front, which is the usual cause of bruised or lost toenails. Fit them late in the day with running socks on.

Go up. A slightly large shoe can be adjusted with a thicker insole or sock, while a slightly small one cannot be made bigger and will cause blisters and toe problems. This matters more for closed shoes than for sandals.

How do you convert shoe sizes?

Match the systems by foot length, which is the one thing they all describe. A 250 mm foot is a US mens 7, a US womens 8.5, a UK 6.5, an EU 40 and a Japanese 25. To convert mens to womens in US sizing, add about 1.5.