Steps to Distance Calculator
Turn a step count into kilometres and miles, or a distance into steps, from your step length or an estimate from your height.
Result…
How it's calculated
Distance = steps × step length Steps = distance ÷ step length Estimated step length ≈ height × 0.413 (female) or × 0.415 (male) 1 mile = 1,609.344 m; 1 in = 2.54 cm
Every step moves you forward by one step length, heel to heel, so distance is just steps times that length. A stride is two steps (the same foot landing twice), which is why some apps quote a number twice as big. If you don’t know your step length, a widely used rule of thumb multiplies height by 0.413 for women and 0.415 for men, but people of the same height walk differently. Measuring is better: walk a known distance, such as a running track lap, count the steps and divide.
Your numbers, step by step
About the Steps to Distance calculator
This steps to distance calculator turns a step count from a phone, watch or pedometer into kilometres and miles, or tells you how many steps a walk of a given distance takes. It multiplies the steps by your step length, the distance from one heel to the other. If you know your step length, enter it in centimetres or inches. If not, it estimates one from your height with a widely used rule of thumb, height × 0.413 for women and × 0.415 for men, which researchers have used in a six-minute walk test app when the step length could not be measured. Walkers use it to see what a daily step goal means in distance, and to plan a route. It also gives your steps per kilometre and per mile. The working is shown step by step.
How to use it
- Pick “Metric” or “Imperial”, then under “Work out” choose “Distance from steps” or “Steps for a distance”.
- Enter your “Steps”, or the “Distance” you plan to walk.
- Under “Step length”, choose “I know it” and enter it, or “Estimate from height”.
- For the estimate, choose “Sex” and enter your “Height”.
- Read the distance in kilometres and miles, or the number of steps, with steps per km and per mile.
Worked example
A 165 cm woman's estimated step length is 165 × 0.413 = 68.145 cm, so 8,000 steps cover 8,000 × 0.68145 = 5,451.6 m, about 5.45 km or 3.39 miles, at 1,467 steps per km. Someone with a measured 27 in step needs 3 × 63,360 ÷ 27 = 7,040 steps for 3 miles (4.83 km).
Updated
Questions people ask
How many steps are in a kilometre or a mile?
Divide 1,000 m, or 1,609.344 m for a mile, by your step length. With a 70 cm step that is about 1,429 steps per km and 2,299 per mile; longer legs take fewer.
How do I measure my step length?
Walk a distance you know at your normal pace, for example a 400 m track lap, count your steps and divide the distance by the count. Doing it twice and averaging helps.
What is the difference between a step and a stride?
A step goes from one foot to the other; a stride goes from one foot back to the same foot, so it is two steps. If an app shows your stride, halve it before entering it here.
Is the height estimate accurate for me?
It is a rough guide. Two people of the same height can walk quite differently, and steps get longer when you walk fast and shorter on hills, so a measured step length is better. For the energy side, see the calories burned calculator.
Does this work for running?
Only with a step length measured while running, since running steps are much longer than walking ones. The height rule of thumb is for walking. For health goals, ask a doctor or physiotherapist.