To change Excel’s ruler from inches to centimeters, click File > Options > Advanced, scroll to Display, and set Ruler units to Centimeters. Click OK. The ruler only appears in Page Layout view (View > Page Layout), where row heights and column widths are also shown in the new unit. These steps work in Excel 2013 and every later version on Windows.
Excel 2013 reached end of support on April 11, 2023, so it no longer receives security updates.
Quick Answer
File > Options > Advanced > Display > Ruler units > Centimeters > OK.
Change the Ruler Units
- Click File > Options.
- Choose Advanced on the left.
- Scroll to Display and set Ruler units to Centimeters (or Millimeters, Inches, or Default units).
- Click OK.
- Switch to View > Page Layout to see the ruler.
What the Setting Changes
| Where | Uses the new unit? |
|---|---|
| Ruler in Page Layout view | Yes |
| Row height and column width (in Page Layout view) | Yes |
| Margins in Page Setup | Depends on your system region settings |
| Column width in Normal view | No; shown in characters |
Large workbook running slowly? Learn how to switch to manual calculation.
Troubleshooting
- No ruler visible: You’re in Normal view. Switch to Page Layout, and check View > Ruler is ticked.
- “Default units” shows inches: That follows your Windows region. Change Settings > Time & language > Region > Regional format, or pick Centimeters directly.
- Need exact column widths? See setting column width in inches, which works the same way with centimeters.
- Doing this in Word? See changing inches to centimeters in Word.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this affect other Office apps?
No. Word and PowerPoint have their own measurement settings.
Can I use this on a Mac?
Yes. In Excel for Mac, open Excel > Preferences > General and set Ruler units.
Summary
- File > Options > Advanced.
- Set Ruler units to Centimeters under Display.
- Use Page Layout view to see the ruler.
- Set widths and heights in the new unit.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
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