Mil/Thou to Point (Typography) Conversion Calculator: Free Online Tool
Convert mils to points with our free online length converter.
Mil/Thou to Point (Typography) Calculator
How to Use the Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Mil/Thou).
- The converted value in Point (Typography) will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
- Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Length category.
- Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.
How to Convert Mil/Thou to Point (Typography)
Converting Mil/Thou to Point (Typography) involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Mil/Thou = 0.072 pointsExample Calculation:
Convert 10 mils: 10 × 0.072 = 0.72 points
Disclaimer: For Reference Only
These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.
Not for professional use. Results should be verified before use in any critical application. View our Terms of Service for more information.
What is a Mil/Thou and a Point (Typography)?
A mil (also known as a thou) is a unit of length equal to one thousandth of an inch (0.001 inches or 25.4 micrometers).
A point is a unit of length used in typography. The desktop publishing point (DTP point or PostScript point) is defined as 1/72 of an international inch (approximately 0.3527 mm).
Note: The Mil/Thou is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Point (Typography) belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Mil/Thou and Point (Typography)
The unit originates from precision engineering and manufacturing where small tolerances are critical.
Typographic points evolved from historical printing practices. The DTP point standardized previous variations for digital use.
Common Uses for mils and points
Explore the typical applications for both Mil/Thou (imperial/US) and Point (Typography) (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for mils
- Measuring thickness of materials (e.g., paper, plastic film, coatings)
- Specifying manufacturing tolerances
- Electronics (e.g., PCB trace widths)
Common Uses for points
- Specifying font sizes
- Measuring line spacing (leading) and other typographic elements
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Mil/Thou (mil)
Is a mil the same as a millimeter?
No, a mil (0.001 inches) is much smaller than a millimeter (0.001 meters). 1 millimeter is approximately 39.37 mils.
Is 'mil' short for millimeter?
No, 'mil' is short for the Latin 'mille', meaning thousandth (of an inch). It is not an abbreviation for millimeter (mm).
What does 'thou' mean in this context?
'Thou' is another common name for a mil, also meaning one thousandth (of an inch). It is frequently used in engineering and machining.
About Point (Typography) (pt)
How many points are in an inch?
In modern desktop publishing, there are exactly 72 points (pt) in 1 inch (in).
What is the difference between a point and a pixel?
A point (pt) is a unit of physical length (1/72 inch), typically used for print. A pixel (px) is a unit of digital display resolution and its physical size can vary depending on the screen's pixel density (PPI).
What does 12 pt font mean?
It means the height of the font characters (specifically, the 'em square', which includes space above and below the letters) is 12 points, or 12/72 = 1/6th of an inch.
Conversion Table: Mil/Thou to Point (Typography)
| Mil/Thou (mil) | Point (Typography) (pt) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.072 |
| 5 | 0.36 |
| 10 | 0.72 |
| 25 | 1.8 |
| 50 | 3.6 |
| 100 | 7.2 |
| 500 | 36 |
| 1,000 | 72 |
All Length Conversions
Other Units from Length
- Meter (m)
- Kilometer (km)
- Hectometer (hm)
- Decimeter (dm)
- Centimeter (cm)
- Millimeter (mm)
- Inch (in)
- Foot (ft)
- Yard (yd)
- Mile (mi)
- Nautical Mile (NM)
- Micrometer (μm)
- Nanometer (nm)
- Light Year (ly)
- Astronomical Unit (AU)
- Parsec (pc)
- Angstrom (Å)
- Fathom (fath)
- Furlong (fur)
- Link (Gunter's) (li)
- Pace (pace)
- Span (span)
- Digit (digit)
- Cable Length (cb)
- Ell (ell)
- Finger (finger)
- Roman Mile (m.p.)
- Stadion (stadion)
- Chi (Chinese) (chi)
- Shaku (Japanese) (shaku)
- Li (Chinese) (li)
- Toise (toise)
- Bolt (bolt)
- Rope (rope)
- Smoot (smoot)
- Sajene (sajene)
- Ken (ken)
- Wa (wa)
- Vara (vara)
- Aln (aln)
- Cubit (Royal/Egyptian) (cubit)
- Versta (versta)
- Arpent (arpent)
- Ri (Japanese) (ri)
- Klafter (klafter)
- Yojana (yojana)
- Skein (skein)