Meters to Feet Converter

What meters and feet measure

Meters and feet are both units of length, but they come from different measurement systems. The meter (m) is the base unit of length in the metric system. The foot (ft) is commonly used in the imperial and US customary systems, often alongside inches and yards. A meters to feet converter helps you translate between these systems without guesswork.

The exact standard: 1 foot = 0.3048 meters

The meter-to-foot conversion is based on a fixed definition: one foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 meters. Because it’s a definition, the conversion itself is exact. If two converters disagree by a tiny amount, it’s almost always because of different rounding rules.

How to convert meters to feet

There are two equivalent ways to do the conversion:

Both produce the same answer. Multiplying by 3.280839895 is often used for quick calculations, while dividing by 0.3048 shows the definition more directly.

When you’ll use m to ft conversions

Height and body measurements

Many countries report height in meters or centimeters, but some contexts (especially in the US) use feet and inches. Converting 1.75 m to feet gives about 5.74 ft, which is commonly expressed as approximately 5 ft 8.9 in (often rounded to 5′9″).

Architecture, construction, and renovations

Plans, building materials, and tools can be labeled in metric or imperial units depending on region. Accurate conversions help when matching sizes, measuring spaces, and translating specifications.

Sports and fitness

Track distances, pool lengths, and altitude changes may be given in meters, while personal references might be in feet. A converter helps you interpret numbers quickly and consistently.

Travel and elevation

Elevation is frequently shown in meters internationally and in feet in some local contexts. Converting helps when comparing locations, mountain heights, or aviation-related information.

Feet to inches: making the result more readable

Feet are commonly split into feet and inches. After you convert meters to total feet, you:

1. Take the whole-number part as the feet
2. Multiply the decimal part by 12 to get inches

The Feet + Inches tab automates this and lets you choose how the inches are rounded (nearest, down, or up).

Rounding: how precise should your answer be?

Precision depends on your use case:

• Everyday use: 2–3 decimals is plenty (e.g., 5.741 ft).
• Height: often rounded to the nearest inch or tenth of an inch.
• Construction: you may round to a fraction (1/8 or 1/16 inch) or to match tool markings.
• Engineering/surveying: keep more decimals, then round only at the final reporting step.

This converter includes rounding choices so you can control whether values round normally, always round down, or always round up.

Quick reference conversions

A few values come up often in height and room measurements:

• 1 m ≈ 3.281 ft
• 1.5 m ≈ 4.921 ft
• 1.7 m ≈ 5.577 ft
• 1.8 m ≈ 5.906 ft
• 2 m ≈ 6.562 ft
• 3 m ≈ 9.843 ft
• 10 m ≈ 32.808 ft

For a custom range, use the Conversion Table tab to generate a list with your preferred step size.

Common mistakes this tool helps prevent

• Mixing up feet and inches: 5.8 ft is not 5 ft 8 in. It means 5 ft + (0.8×12)=9.6 in.
• Rounding too early: rounding mid-calculation can create small errors that matter in precise work.
• Assuming 1 m = 3.3 ft exactly: it’s close, but the exact factor is 3.280839895.

Tips for real-world measuring

Match the tool you’re using

If your tape is marked in inches and fractions, it may be more useful to convert to feet and inches and then round to a practical fraction (like 1/8"). If you’re working from a metric plan, you may want to keep meters (or centimeters) until the last step.

Account for tolerance

In construction and fabrication, measurements have tolerance. Decide whether you need “close enough,” “fit snug,” or “allow clearance” before choosing rounding direction.

Be consistent across a project

Pick one system for most of the work and convert only when needed. Constantly switching units increases the risk of mistakes.