Is there any progress on being able to amend units and measurements on Word online version? I would like to use metric ie. mm not inches etc.

Helen Newton 25 Reputation points
2025-08-11T13:53:29.2166667+00:00

I understand how you can amend units on the desktop version of office, but I would like to be able to do it on my online version as I access that on my phone etc.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For business | MacOS

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Michelle-N 20,735 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2025-08-11T14:32:16.3866667+00:00

Hi @Helen Newton

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A Forum.

Based on your description, I understand that you want to change the measurement units in the online version of Microsoft Word from inches to a metric system (like millimeters or centimeters), similar to how it can be done in the desktop application.

Unfortunately, this is a known limitation of the current version of Word for the web. The online application automatically uses the measurement units associated with the regional settings of your Microsoft Account, and unlike the desktop version, it does not currently have a built-in feature to override this setting for individual documents.

We understand this is a significant drawback for users who need to work with different measurement standards for various tasks, especially for academic or professional documents. The best way to make your voice heard and help the development team prioritize this feature for future updates is to submit feedback directly through the official  Word · Community (microsoft.com). The product teams actively monitor this portal to understand user needs.

As a moderator, I'll also proactively take your valuable feedback, along with that of other community members, and raise it with our internal IT development team. We're always striving to improve the user experience, and direct, insightful feedback like yours is incredibly valuable for us to relay to those who can make a difference.  

Thank you for your patience and for the effort you've put into this Microsoft's development.


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  1. Ken Bayliss 20 Reputation points
    2025-08-14T06:23:58.7366667+00:00

    My Microsoft Account regional settings are and have always been set to English (Australia), and has always been defaulting to metric, except in Word, Excel and Powerpoint Online.

    In these online office tools, they always display Imperial measurements, which I can't stand, but nothing will change. the proper apps display metric for me by default.

    This tool has been available for over 5 years, and nothing will change. @Michelle-N, unfortunately, this has nothing to do with Microsoft Account regional settings.

    The short answer is Microsoft is too lazy to implement the ability to use metric measurements (which most of the world uses), in a tool that is made by an American company.

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  2. Ken Bayliss 20 Reputation points
    2026-06-18T03:18:53.3933333+00:00

    My regional settings on my PC are set to English (Australia), and my regional settings in My Microsoft Account have always been set to English (Australia)... yet despite the advise above, I still see Inches as measurements in Word Online.

    Only the US and half of UK have decided to retain Imperial measurement, but you have decided to force this on everyone.

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