# Windows PowerPoint query: Changing units on the ruler

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-powerpoint-query-changing-units-on-the-ruler/93059>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 13, 2001, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-powerpoint-query-changing-units-on-the-ruler/93059 "2001-11-13T03:39:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Wytehawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Wytehawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wytehawk)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-powerpoint-query-changing-units-on-the-ruler/93059/1 "2001-11-13T03:39:42Z")

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I am trying to change the unit of measurement on the rulers in Microsoft PowerPoint from inches to centimetres.  
I would have thought this was fairly simple to do, however, I have had no luck with that infernal little paperclip help thingy. The general help topics don’t seem to cover it either. Can anyone be of assistance?

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**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-powerpoint-query-changing-units-on-the-ruler/93059/2 "2001-11-13T19:08:50Z")

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I’ve worked in PowerPoint, sometimes as a 40-hour-per-week job, for about 6 years, and I’ve never seen such an option. I just tried everything I knew to try to find out if it can be done, and I came up empty handed. The evil empire probably “hardwires” it for various editions; I’m sure it must make a metric version for the non-US market. Or maybe an add-on. Try emailing them.\*

\*I know, cheap joke.

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**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-powerpoint-query-changing-units-on-the-ruler/93059/3 "2001-11-13T19:33:07Z")

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It actually uses your systems default measurement system. You can change it, and thus change Powerpoint by doing the following:

Open up the Control panel and select Regional Options (or Settings). Click on the tab labeled Numbers and you will see a drop down box for the measurement system. Change it to metric and you should be in business.

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**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-powerpoint-query-changing-units-on-the-ruler/93059/4 "2001-11-13T19:40:44Z")

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**DMC** is correct. Ditto on Mac PPT - we’ve used the OS setting since PPT2.

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**Author:** ![Wytehawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Wytehawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wytehawk)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-powerpoint-query-changing-units-on-the-ruler/93059/5 "2001-11-13T21:59:22Z")

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Thanks DMC, that did the trick!  
Cheers.

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**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-powerpoint-query-changing-units-on-the-ruler/93059/6 "2001-11-13T22:35:24Z")

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very cool.