Shoe Size Converter: US, UK, EU
Convert shoe sizes between US men’s and women’s, UK, European and cm.
Good to know. Shoe sizes started with barleycorns: three to an inch, which is still why each size is a third of an inch.
Approximate. Real-world values vary.
How it works
In plain words
Every size comes from the length of the foot. A US men’s size is 3 × foot length in inches − 22, and each size is a third of an inch. UK sizes are one below US men’s; US women’s are 1.5 above. European sizes are 1.5 × the inside length of the shoe in cm.
The formula
US men’s = 3 × foot (in) − 22 UK = US men’s − 1 · US women’s = US men’s + 1.5 EU = 1.5 × (foot cm + 1.7)
Worked example
A US men’s 10 fits a foot of about 27.1 cm. That is a UK 9, a US women’s 11.5 and an EU 43.
Sources
- ISO 9407:2019, Shoe sizes — Mondopoint system of sizing and marking Sizes from foot length in millimetres.
- Brannock Device Company, the Brannock foot-measuring device US sizes from foot length: men’s = 3 × length in inches − 22; women’s 1.5 larger.
Sources checked September 30, 2026. 5 automated tests check its answers on every change.
About the shoe size converter: US, UK, EU
Shoe sizes differ between countries because each system counts in its own unit from its own starting point. US and UK sizes go up by a third of an inch, a size the English once measured in barleycorns. European sizes go up by the Paris point, two thirds of a centimetre. So the conversions are close but never perfectly round.
This converter works through the length of the foot, using the formulas behind the standard foot-measuring device used in US shoe shops. UK adult sizes are one below US men’s, and US women’s sizes are one and a half above US men’s, so a women’s 8.5 is a men’s 7. Japan, China and ski boots use Mondopoint: the foot length in centimetres or millimetres.
Brands differ. A 43 from one maker can fit like a 42 or 44 from another, and some brands convert US women’s sizes with a 2-size gap instead of 1.5. Where a brand has its own chart, trust it over any general converter.
For the best fit, measure your foot: stand on a sheet of paper in the evening, when feet are largest, mark the heel and the longest toe, and measure between them. Choose the size for the longer foot. Children’s sizes follow different scales and aren’t covered here.
Questions people ask
What is a US 10 in EU size?
A US men’s 10 is about EU 43 to 44; a US women’s 10 is about EU 41 to 42.
How do I convert women’s to men’s shoe sizes?
Subtract 1.5: a women’s 9 is about a men’s 7.5. Some brands use 2 instead.
What is the difference between UK and US shoe sizes?
For men, UK sizes are one smaller than US: a UK 9 is a US 10. For women, UK is about 2.5 smaller: a UK 5 is a US 7.5.
How do I measure my foot for shoe size?
Stand on paper in the evening, mark the back of your heel and the tip of your longest toe, and measure the distance in centimetres.