How the calculator works it out
Distance is the number of steps times the length of one step. The only real unknown is your step length, and there are three ways to get it.
Step length (women) ≈ 0.413 × height
Step length (men) ≈ 0.415 × height
Measured step = distance walked ÷ steps counted
Miles = steps × step length in inches ÷ 63,360
Steps per mile = 63,360 ÷ step length in inches
There are 63,360 inches in a mile (5,280 ft × 12). In metric, kilometres = steps × step length in cm ÷ 100,000.
Worked example: 10,000 steps at 5 ft 6 in
A woman who is 5 ft 6 in tall is 66 inches. Her estimated step is 66 × 0.413 = 27.26 inches. That makes 63,360 ÷ 27.26 = 2,324 steps a mile, so 10,000 steps is 10,000 × 27.26 ÷ 63,360 = 4.30 miles, or 6.92 km. A man of 5 ft 10 in (70 in) has a step of about 29.05 inches, 2,181 steps a mile, and covers 4.58 miles in 10,000 steps. The woman's numbers load when the page opens.
Measure your own step
The height rule gives a reasonable first guess, but people of the same height walk differently. For your own figure, walk a known distance at your everyday pace and count the steps. If 100 feet takes 44 steps, your step is 1,200 ÷ 44 = 27.3 inches. Pick "A measured walk" above and the calculator does the division. Measure again for brisk walks or runs, since your step gets longer as you speed up.
What the numbers are based on
- Height rule. 0.413 × height for women and 0.415 × height for men is the rule of thumb used by many pedometer guides and step calculators. We could not find the study it came from, so treat it as an estimate and measure if you can.
- Steps and strides. Your phone or tracker counts steps (one foot to the other), so the calculator does too. A stride is two steps.
- Unit definitions. A mile is exactly 1.609344 km and 63,360 inches.
Limits
- Trackers miss some steps and count some arm swings, so your step count itself can be off by a few percent.
- Hills, stairs, crowds and pushing a stroller all shorten your step.
- For calories, use the calories burned walking calculator. For run times, the pace calculator.
Questions people ask
How many steps are in a mile?
It depends on your step length. With the common height rule, a 5 ft 6 in woman takes about 2,324 steps a mile and a 5 ft 10 in man about 2,181. Shorter people take more steps, taller people fewer. The round figure of 2,000 steps a mile fits someone with a step of about 31.7 inches, which is longer than most people walk.
How many miles is 10,000 steps?
For most adults it is somewhere between 4 and 5 miles. A 5 ft 6 in woman covers about 4.3 miles (10,000 × 27.3 in ÷ 63,360 in a mile) and a 5 ft 10 in man about 4.6 miles. Enter your own height or measured step for your number.
What is the difference between a step and a stride?
A step is from one heel touching down to the other heel touching down. A stride is two steps, from one heel back to the same heel. Pedometers and phones count steps, so this calculator works in steps. Some sites call the 0.413 × height figure a stride; it is really the length of one step.
How do I measure my step length?
Walk a known distance at your normal pace and count the steps. A track lap, a 100 ft stretch of hallway or the lines on a sports field all work. Divide the distance by the steps: 45 feet in 20 steps is 2.25 ft, or 27 inches. Walk it two or three times and take the average.
Is the height formula accurate?
It is a starting estimate. We could not trace 0.413 and 0.415 to a published study, and real step length changes with speed, terrain, footwear and fitness. Your step is longer when you walk briskly and much longer when you run. A measured walk is the best way to get your own figure.
Does running change the number of steps per mile?
Yes. A running step is much longer than a walking step, so you take fewer steps per mile when you run. Measure a running step the same way, over a known distance at your running pace, and use that figure for your runs.