Give every conversion a better starting point
Step length calculator
Walk a known distance and count your steps. Use those two measurements to find the length of one step.
Based on your inputs
71.43
cm per step
- 28.12inches
- 0.714metres
100 m ÷ 140 steps = 71.43 cm; your stride (two steps) is about 142.9 cm. Repeat a few walks and use the combined distance and count.
Distance estimates depend on step length. A measured value improves the estimate.
Step length = measured distance ÷ counted steps
Measure the way you normally walk
Choose a safe, straight section of level ground and measure its distance. Walk through that section at your usual pace while counting each footfall. Enter the distance and count in the calculator to find the mean length of one step over that section.
For example, travelling 20 metres in 28 steps gives a step length of approximately 71.43 centimetres. The example is arithmetic, not a recommended gait. A measurement made from your own walking is more useful than assuming that everybody of the same height has an identical step length.
Count steps, not strides
Each time either foot lands, count one step. A stride runs from one footfall to the next landing of the same foot and usually contains two steps. Mixing those terms would double the length you enter and could double the distance shown in a later conversion.
The start and finish matter too. Use the same counting convention on every trial and avoid deliberately stretching a final step to meet a marker. If you are unsure about partial steps at either end, use a longer measured section to reduce their influence on the result.
Repeat, combine, and reuse
Repeat the measurement at a natural pace. Combine the total measured distance and total steps across the trials, then divide those totals. You can save the resulting number yourself and enter it in the distance tools. Take a separate measurement for noticeably different conditions, such as brisk walking or a treadmill session, rather than expecting one value to describe every movement.
Step length or stride length calculator?
This tool measures one step: the distance from one footfall to the next footfall of the opposite foot. A stride is two steps, from one landing of a foot to the next landing of the same foot. Because the two terms are often swapped, the result panel also shows your stride, which is simply twice the step length. If a device or app asks for “stride length”, check its instructions to see which of the two it means before copying a value across.
A few useful answers
Step length: questions, answered.
Can you estimate step length from height?
This tool uses a measured distance and counted steps. It avoids assigning you a step length from a fixed height ratio, which would introduce another assumption.
Should I count my left foot and right foot?
Yes. Count every footfall. Counting only one foot measures strides, not steps.
Will my step length stay the same?
It can change between walks and within a walk. Pace, terrain, turns, and fatigue can alter the distance covered by each step.
Is this also a stride length calculator?
Yes. The result shows your step length and, in the note beneath it, your stride length, which is two steps. Use whichever your device asks for.