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Fix PowerPoint for Mac Not Changing Inches to Centimeters
Question details
Users are unable to switch the measurement units from inches to centimeters in PowerPoint for Mac, even after setting the macOS measurement system to Metric.
- Product
- PowerPoint for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Attempting to change measurement units for slide design and ruler display.
- Observed behavior
- PowerPoint continues to display measurements in inches if the primary macOS language is set to English (United States), ignoring the Metric system preference.
Ensure you have saved all your open PowerPoint presentations, as you will need to completely quit and restart the application for the system language and measurement changes to take effect.
Change macOS Primary Language to English (United Kingdom)
Adjusting the primary language settings in macOS forces PowerPoint to recognize the metric system appropriately.
PowerPoint for Mac relies heavily on the primary language selected in macOS rather than just the measurement system setting. When English (United States) is set as the primary language, the application defaults to inches. Switching to English (United Kingdom) overrides this behavior and forces the software to display centimeters.
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select 'System Settings' (or 'System Preferences' on older macOS versions).
Click on 'General' in the sidebar, then select 'Language & Region' on the right.
Under 'Preferred Languages', click the '+' button to add 'English (United Kingdom)' if it is not listed. Once added, drag it to the very top of the list to set it as your primary language.
Ensure that the 'Measurement system' option in the same window is set to 'Metric'.
Right-click the PowerPoint icon in your Dock and select 'Quit'. Reopen PowerPoint for the centimeter measurements to appear on your rulers and dialog boxes.
Try WPS Office for Seamless Presentation Design on Mac
If you are tired of dealing with persistent formatting and regional setting issues in Microsoft Office, switch to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and user-friendly experience for all your presentation needs on macOS.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the macOS version of WPS Office.
- 2. Install the Application: Open the downloaded file and drag the WPS Office icon to your Applications folder.
- 3. Open Your Presentations: Launch WPS Presentation and easily open, edit, and format your existing PowerPoint files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does PowerPoint for Mac rely on language for measurement units?
PowerPoint for Mac is designed to tie its measurement units to the macOS regional and language settings. Even if you select Metric in your system settings, a US English language preference overrides it and forces the application to display inches.
Can I change measurement units directly inside PowerPoint for Mac?
Unlike the Windows version of Microsoft Office, PowerPoint for Mac does not have a built-in menu option in its preferences to toggle between inches and centimeters. It strictly follows your macOS system settings.
Will changing my Mac's language to UK English affect my keyboard layout?
No, changing your primary display language does not automatically change your keyboard input source. You can continue typing with your standard US keyboard layout without any issues.
How do I change the units back to inches if needed?
To revert back to inches, go to macOS System Settings > General > Language & Region, drag English (US) back to the top of your preferred languages list, and restart PowerPoint.
