Units & measurement format — feet/inches, meters/centimeters, and plain inches or centimetres
RoomSketch3D works in imperial or metric — and now lets you pick the format too: feet-and-inches or plain inches, metres-and-centimetres or plain centimetres. Here's where every toggle lives and what it changes.
RoomSketch3D speaks two measurement systems — imperial (feet and inches) and metric (meters and centimeters) — and, as of August 2026, lets you pick the format within each: whether a length reads as 7' 6" or as a plain 90", and whether the metric equivalent reads as 2.3 m or a plain 230 cm. You choose once at first setup and can change it any time in Settings.
Every choice here is display only — it changes how measurements are written, never the design itself. A 90-inch wall is a 90-inch wall whether it shows as 7' 6" or 90", and nothing changes for anyone who doesn't touch these settings: the default stays feet-and-inches.
What you'll need
- •A RoomSketch3D account (any design open, or a new one)
- •About two minutes
Step by step
- 1
Choose your units at first setup
The first time you set up, RoomSketch3D asks a couple of quick preferences — including Measurement system: Imperial ("Feet and inches, e.g. 12' 6\"") or Metric ("Meters and centimeters, e.g. 3.8 m"). You can also set units when you start a new design: the room-setup dialog has a Units toggle — ft/in or m/cm — right by the width and length fields. Either way, it's remembered for next time.
Set your units at the start — the ft/in ÷ m/cm toggle sits right by the width and length fields. - 2
Change units any time in Settings
Open Settings (from your profile menu). The Measurement Units row has a two-way toggle — ft/in or m/cm. Switch it and the whole app re-reads every measurement in the new system immediately: room sizes, furniture, the dimension chains on the plan, the input boxes you type into. Your geometry is untouched — a 12-foot wall is still 3.66 meters.
Settings → Measurement Units flips the whole app between ft/in and m/cm. - 3
Pick a measurement format — including Inches only / Centimetres only
Just below units, the Measurement format row lets you choose how each length is written. In imperial: Feet and inches (a length shows as 7' 6") or Inches only (the same length shows as a plain 90"). In metric: Metres and centimetres (2.3 m) or Centimetres only (230 cm). Each option's button previews the exact notation you'll get — the label is a live sample from the real formatter, so there's no guessing. The same choice appears in the first-run Quick setup popup, with the hint "Used everywhere — dimension chains, furniture sizes, and the boxes you type into."
Measurement format: the buttons show the real notation — 7' 6" versus a plain 90". - 4
See where it applies
Your unit and format follow the whole app: the dimension chains on the plan, every furniture size, room labels, exports (PDF, image, and the sizes in shared plans), and the input boxes you type into. Pick Inches only and a wall that read 7' 6" now reads 90" everywhere; the metric equivalent swaps metres for centimetres the same way. Switch back at any time — nothing about the design is lost.
Units and format apply everywhere a measurement appears — plan dimensions, furniture, labels, and exports.
Tips
Set it once and forget it
If you're in the US, Imperial with Feet and inches is the usual pick; most other places use Metric. Choose it the first time you set up and you'll rarely touch it again.
Prefer plain inches or centimetres?
Tradespeople and anyone used to reading straight inch counts can switch Measurement format to Inches only — no more mental math from feet. Metric users get the same with Centimetres only (230 cm instead of 2.3 m).
The button label is the preview
You never have to guess which format is which — each option's button shows the actual notation (7' 6" vs 90", or 2.3 m vs 230 cm), generated by the same formatter the app uses, so it can't drift from what you'll see.
Common mistakes
Expecting the design to change
Switching units or format is display only. It re-writes how measurements read; it never resizes anything. A 90-inch wall stays 90 inches whether it shows as 7' 6" or 90".
Looking for the format toggle under units alone
Measurement Units (ft/in ÷ m/cm) and Measurement format (feet-and-inches ÷ inches-only) are two separate rows in Settings. Set the system first, then the format — the format options change to match (feet/inches for imperial, metres/centimetres for metric).
Frequently asked questions
Does switching units or format change my designs?
No. Only how measurements are displayed. A 12-foot wall and a 3.66-meter wall are the same wall — and 7' 6" and 90" are the same length written two ways.
What's the difference between "Feet and inches" and "Inches only"?
Feet and inches writes a length as 7' 6"; Inches only writes the same length as a plain 90". The metric pair is the same idea: Metres and centimetres shows 2.3 m, Centimetres only shows 230 cm. It's purely how the number reads.
Where do I pick the measurement format?
In Settings → Measurement format (the row just below Measurement Units), or during the first-run Quick setup popup. Each option previews its exact notation on the button.
Will this affect other people, or my existing plans?
No. The default stays feet-and-inches, and existing designs are untouched — nothing changes for anyone who doesn't pick a different option. Your choice is saved to your account and applies wherever you're signed in.
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