Steps to miles and km.

How the numbers are worked out

1. Step length: height × 0.413 for women or × 0.415 for men, a widely used rule of thumb for walking step length. If you enter your own measured step length, that is used instead.
2. Distance: steps × step length.
3. Time: distance ÷ the walking speed you choose.
4. Calories: kcal = MET × body weight (kg) × hours. METs are the walking values in the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: 2.0 mph 2.8; 2.5 mph 3.0; 3.0 mph 3.5; 3.5 mph 4.3; 4.0 mph 5.0; 4.5 mph 7.0. This is gross energy, so it includes the calories you would burn at rest anyway.

Worked example. A 170 cm woman taking 10,000 steps: step length 70.2 cm, distance 7.02 km (4.36 miles). At 3.0 mph that is about 87 minutes; at 70 kg, 3.5 × 70 × 1.45 h is about 355 kcal gross.

Phone and watch counters use their own stride models and often differ from this estimate by 10% or more. Sources (opened 2026-10-04): Ainsworth et al., 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities, Med Sci Sports Exerc 2011;43(8):1575-1581 (walking MET values); step-length factors are a common anthropometric rule of thumb, not a clinical standard.

FAQ

How many steps are in a mile?

For a 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) woman it is about 2,300 steps, and shorter people take more. Enter your height or your own step length above to get your figure.

How many miles is 10,000 steps?

Roughly 4 to 5 miles (6.4 to 8 km) for most adults, depending on height and stride. Taller people with longer steps cover more distance in the same number of steps.

How do I measure my own step length?

Walk 20 normal steps on a flat surface, measure the distance in centimetres or inches, and divide by 20. Enter that as your own step length for a more accurate result.

Are the calories accurate?

They are estimates from the Compendium of Physical Activities, which gives average energy cost for walking at a speed. Your own body size, fitness, terrain and wind change it.

Why does speed change the calories per step?

Faster walking costs more energy per minute, but you also finish sooner. The tool computes time from distance and speed, then multiplies by the MET value for that speed.