How to measure your foot size at home

To measure your foot size at home, tape a sheet of paper against a wall, stand on it at the end of the day with your heel to the wall, and trace your foot. Measure the length from heel to longest toe and the width across the ball, do both feet, use the larger, then convert that length to a shoe size.

Last updated June 2026 · ARFits Editorial

In short

You need blank paper, a pencil, a ruler or tape measure in centimetres, and a wall. Trace each foot with your heel against the wall, measure heel-to-longest-toe length and width across the ball, measure both feet and use the larger, then look the length up in a conversion chart to read off your EU, US and UK size. Measure at the end of the day in the socks you'll actually wear.

Why getting the size right matters

Buying the wrong size is the main reason shoes get sent back, and footwear is one of the most-returned categories online. The National Retail Federation and Happy Returns estimated that 19.3% of online purchases were returned in 2025, totalling about $849.9 billion in US returns for the year (NRF & Happy Returns, 2025). Shoes are a large part of that: a Volumental footwear sizing survey found that 57% of online shoe buyers have returned a pair because it didn't fit, and 20% aren't confident an online pair will fit at all (Volumental survey, 2021, reported by WWD). Clothing and footwear consistently rank among the most-returned online categories (Statista). A careful five-minute measurement is the cheapest way to avoid being part of those numbers.

Figures above are reported by the named third parties, not ARFits data.

What you'll need

  • •A sheet of blank paper larger than your foot (tape two sheets together if needed).
  • •A pencil or pen, held vertically so the line traces the true edge of your foot.
  • •A ruler or tape measure in centimetres (millimetre marks help precision).
  • •A wall to square your heel against for a consistent starting point.
  • •The socks you'd actually wear with the shoe you're buying.

Step-by-step: measuring your foot

Work on a hard floor, not carpet, and keep your weight on the foot you're tracing — a loaded foot spreads and is the size your shoe actually has to fit.

  1. 1

    Trace your foot against a wall

    Tape the paper to the floor with one edge against a wall. Stand on it at the end of the day with your heel touching the wall and your weight on the foot. Trace all the way around, keeping the pencil upright.

    Common mistake: tilting the pencil under the foot, which makes the outline smaller than the foot really is.

    Tip: have someone else trace for you, or sit with the foot flat — it's hard to keep full weight on a foot you're bending down to draw around.

  2. 2

    Measure heel-to-longest-toe length

    Measure the straight-line distance from the heel line (the wall edge) to the tip of your longest toe, in millimetres or centimetres. Write it down.

    Common mistake: measuring to the big toe. The second toe is longer on many feet — measure to whichever toe reaches furthest.

    Tip: drop a square or book down to the toe tip and measure to that straight line for a cleaner reading.

  3. 3

    Measure foot width / ball girth

    Measure the width across the widest part of the outline — the ball of the foot. For a fuller picture, wrap the tape measure around the ball of the foot while standing to record the ball girth (circumference).

    Common mistake: ignoring width entirely. Two feet of the same length can need different sizes if one is wider.

    Tip: if a brand offers width fittings (D, E, wide), width and ball girth are what you use to choose between them.

  4. 4

    Measure both feet and use the larger

    Repeat the trace and measurement for the other foot. Most people's feet differ slightly. Size to the larger foot, not the average.

    Common mistake: measuring only one foot and assuming the other matches.

    Tip: a thin insole or one extra lace turn can take up the small amount of slack in the shoe for the smaller foot.

  5. 5

    Convert the length to a shoe size

    Take your larger foot length in centimetres and look it up in a conversion chart, or enter it into a size converter to read EU, US and UK sizes at once.

    Common mistake: treating one chart as final. Sizing varies by brand, last and model.

    Tip: if your length falls between two sizes, size up — you can tighten a slightly roomy shoe, but you can't add length.

The whole measurement takes about five minutes. Keep the traced sheet so you can re-measure or compare against a brand's own chart later.

Turn your measurement into a size

Once you have a foot length in centimetres, two tools do the conversion for you:

Shoe size converter

Enter your foot length in cm and read off EU, US (men & women) and UK sizes, with reference charts for men, women and kids.

Open the shoe size converter

Size recommender

Get a size suggestion for a specific brand, with the common fit offsets that brand tends to run.

Open the size recommender

Sizes vary by brand, last and model, so a chart is a starting point rather than a guarantee. To see how the different sizing methods compare, read the fit technology comparison, or learn how a guided phone scan measures length and ball girth automatically in how foot scanning works.

Frequently asked questions

When should I measure my feet?

Measure at the end of the day. Feet swell as you stand and walk, so an evening measurement reflects the size your foot reaches when you are wearing the shoes, which reduces the chance of buying a pair that feels tight later in the day.

Which foot do I use if they differ?

Measure both feet and size to the larger one. Most people have two slightly different feet, and a shoe that fits the smaller foot will be too tight on the larger. You can use an insole or lacing adjustment to take up the small amount of extra room on the smaller foot.

Do I measure barefoot or with socks?

Measure wearing the socks you intend to wear with the shoe. Thin dress socks and thick athletic or winter socks add different amounts of bulk, so matching the sock to the intended use keeps the measurement realistic.

How do I convert foot length to a shoe size?

Take your longer foot length in centimetres and look it up in a shoe size conversion chart, which maps foot length to EU, US and UK sizes. Because sizing varies by brand, treat the result as a starting point and check it against the brand's own chart.

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