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How to Convert any Font Size Unit to REM

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4 minutes

If you are a web designer or developer, you might have encountered the challenge of choosing the right font size unit for your CSS code. There are many different units available, such as pixels (px), points (pt), ems (em), rems (rem), and more. How do you know which one to use and how to convert them to each other?

In this article, we will focus on one of the most popular and versatile font size units: rem. Rem stands for root em, which means it is relative to the base font size of the root element, usually the <html> element. The base font size is the value of the font-size property that you assign to the <html> element. It is often set to 16px by default, but you can change it to any value you want.

The advantage of using rem units is that they are flexible and responsive. They can adapt to different screen sizes and user preferences, such as zooming in or out. They can also help you create consistent and proportional typography and layout across your web pages.

But how do you convert any font size unit to rem? There are two methods that you can use: the manual method and the online tools method.

The Manual Method

The manual method involves using a simple formula to convert any font size unit to rem. The formula is:

$$\text{rem} = \frac{\text{target size}}{\text{base size}}$$

The target size is the font size that you want to convert to rem, and the base size is the font size of the HTML root element, which is usually 16px by default, unless you change it.

For example, if you want to convert 24px to rem, you can do:

$$\text{rem} = \frac{24}{16} = 1.5$$

This means that 24px is equivalent to 1.5rem.

You can use this formula to convert any font size unit to rem, such as em, pt, cm, mm, in, pc, etc. You just need to know how many pixels are in each unit and divide it by the base size.

For example, if you want to convert em to rem, you need to know how many pixels are in one em. One em is equal to the font size of the current element. So, if you have an element with a font size of 20px, then one em is 20px. To convert this to rem, you can do:

$$\text{rem} = \frac{20}{16} = 1.25$$

This means that one em in this element is equivalent to 1.25rem.

Similarly, if you want to convert pt (point) to rem, you need to know how many pixels are in one pt. One pt is equal to 1/72 of an inch. So, if your screen resolution is 96 dpi (dots per inch), then one pt is 96/72 = 1.333px. To convert this to rem, you can do:

$$\text{rem} = \frac{1.333}{16} = 0.083$$

This means that one pt is equivalent to 0.083rem.

You can use the same method to convert other font size units to rem, such as cm (centimeter), mm (millimeter), in (inch), pc (pica), etc. You just need to know how many pixels are in each unit and divide it by the base size.

The Online Tools Method

The online tools method involves using websites that can do the conversion for you. There are many online tools that can help you convert any font size unit to rem in a matter of seconds. Here are some examples:

  • PXto: This website allows you to enter any font size unit and get the rem value instantly. You can also see a conversion table and a code generator on the same website.
  • CSS Font Size Converter: This website has a simple and easy-to-use interface that lets you convert any font size unit to rem in one click. You can also adjust the base font size and see the results in real time.
  • Font Size Converter: This website has a comprehensive and interactive tool that lets you convert any font size unit to rem and vice versa. You can also see a visual comparison and a conversion formula on the same website.

Converting any font size unit to rem is not difficult once you know the basic formula and how many pixels are in each unit. You can either do it manually or use online tools that can make your life easier.

Final Thoughts

Using rem units for global sizing can help you create responsive and scalable web designs that adapt to different screen sizes and user preferences. By using rem, you can ensure that your website looks good on any screen size and resolution. You can also use em units for local sizing, which are relative to the font size of the parent element. This can help you create consistent and proportional typography and layout.

We hope this article helped you understand how to convert any font size unit to rem.

Happy Coding, Cheers 🥂

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