How to Change Measurement Units from Imperial to Metric in Adobe Acrobat
Question details
The user needs to change the default measurement and ruler units in their PDF editor from imperial (inches) to metric (centimeters or millimeters).
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- Windows, macOS
- Scenario
- Adjusting application preferences to ensure document dimensions, object scaling, and rulers display in preferred metric units instead of inches.
- Observed behavior
- The current page and ruler measurement units are set to inches, which does not match the user's requirement for metric measurements.
Ensure your Adobe Acrobat application is fully updated, as interface menus can vary slightly in older versions. The steps to access the preferences menu will differ depending on whether you are using a Windows or Mac computer.
Change Measurement Units via Acrobat Preferences
Modify the Page & Ruler Units settings directly within the Adobe Acrobat Preferences menu to apply metric measurements globally.
By modifying the Units & Guides settings, you change the default measurement system for all documents opened in Adobe Acrobat. This will instantly update the visible rulers, document properties dimensions, and object sizing tools.
Launch Adobe Acrobat. On Windows, click on 'Edit' in the top menu bar and select 'Preferences' from the drop-down list. On macOS, click on 'Acrobat' or 'Acrobat Reader' in the Apple menu bar and choose 'Preferences'.
In the Preferences dialog box that appears, look at the Categories pane on the left side and scroll down to select 'Units & Guides'.
Locate the 'Page & Ruler Units' dropdown menu on the right side. Click it and change the selection from 'Inches' to 'Centimeters' or 'Millimeters'.
Click the 'OK' button at the bottom of the Preferences window to save your changes. Your rulers and document measurements will now display in the selected metric unit.
Manage PDF Page Sizes and Measurements with WPS PDF
WPS Office includes a professional-grade PDF editor that makes adjusting document dimensions, adding annotations, and editing text incredibly straightforward, without the high subscription costs of premium PDF tools.
- 1. Open WPS Office: Launch WPS Office on your computer and open your PDF document using the built-in WPS PDF tool.
- 2. Access Global Settings: Click on the 'Menu' icon in the top-left corner of the application interface and select 'Options' or 'Settings' from the drop-down list.
- 3. Adjust Measurement Units: Navigate to the 'General' tab within the settings window. Locate the measurement units field and select 'Centimeters' or 'Millimeters' instead of Inches.
- 4. Apply and Edit: Click 'OK' to save your new settings. You can now use the ruler and measurement tools to accurately scale and edit your PDF elements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set different measurement units for individual PDF documents?
No, the Page & Ruler Units setting in Adobe Acrobat is an application-wide preference. Once changed to metric, it will apply globally to all PDFs you open in the software.
How do I make the rulers visible after changing my units to metric?
To display the rulers, go to the 'View' menu at the top, select 'Show/Hide', then hover over 'Rulers & Grids', and click 'Rulers'. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+R on Windows or Cmd+R on Mac.
Why do my measurement settings keep reverting back to inches?
This can happen if your Acrobat preferences file has become corrupted or if administrative permissions are preventing settings from saving. Try running Acrobat as an administrator before changing the units, or reset the application's preferences file to its default state.
Besides centimeters and millimeters, what other units can I choose?
In the 'Units & Guides' preference menu, you can also set your document and ruler measurements to Points or Picas, which are commonly used in typography and print design.
