This page converts picas into mils using the factor 166.6666667, and shows the reverse figure alongside it. Both units measure length, which is why one number does the whole job.
Twelve points, or 1/6 inch — the column-width unit of print layout. One thousandth of an inch, the standard thickness unit for plastic film and PCB traces.
The mil and the millimetre are not the same thing and are out by a factor of about forty. A mil is one thousandth of an inch — 0.0254 mm — and a spec sheet that quotes film thickness in mils means the small unit. British drawings write the same size as "thou". Below the calculator there is a step table for the values people look up most, and a second table putting real length figures into mils so the number you get has something to be compared against.
The formula
picas- The amount you are converting, in picas
166.666666667- The exact number of mils in one pica
mils- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in picas.
- It is multiplied by 166.666666667, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in mils, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
An Olympic pool: 1.18e+04 pica in mils
An Olympic pool comes to about 1.18e+04 pica. Multiplying by the factor: 1.18e+04 × 166.667 = 1.96667e+06 mil. Dividing the answer back by 166.667 returns the figure you started with, which is the quickest way to check you have the factor the right way up.
A door height: 480 pica in mils
At 480 pica (a door height), the same quantity in mils is 480 × 166.667 = 80,000 mil. One pica is 166.667 mils, so the numbers grow as expected.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many mils are in one pica?
Exactly 166.666666667. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert picas to mils?
mils = picas × 166.666666667. Reversed, picas = mils ÷ 166.666666667, which is the same as multiplying by 0.006.
Which is the bigger unit, the pica or the mil?
The pica. One pica equals 166.667 mils.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure length. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a pica?
Twelve points, or 1/6 inch — the column-width unit of print layout.
What is a mil?
One thousandth of an inch, the standard thickness unit for plastic film and PCB traces.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Is there a quick way to do pica to mil in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: multiply by 170 instead of using the exact factor 166.6666667. At 100 that shortcut gives 17,000 mils, off by 333.3 mils or about 2.00%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Picas to mils reference tables
| Picas | Mils |
|---|---|
| 0.5 pica | 83.3333 mil |
| 1 pica | 166.667 mil |
| 2 pica | 333.333 mil |
| 3 pica | 500 mil |
| 5 pica | 833.333 mil |
| 10 pica | 1666.67 mil |
| 20 pica | 3333.33 mil |
| 25 pica | 4166.67 mil |
| 50 pica | 8333.33 mil |
| 75 pica | 12,500 mil |
| 100 pica | 16,666.7 mil |
| 250 pica | 41,666.7 mil |
| 500 pica | 83,333.3 mil |
| 1000 pica | 166,667 mil |
| 5000 pica | 833,333 mil |
Exact factor: 1 pica = 166.666666667 mils.
| Quantity | pica | mil |
|---|---|---|
| A credit card’s long edge | 20.22 pica | 3370 mil |
| A door height | 480 pica | 8e+04 mil |
| An Olympic pool | 1.181e+04 pica | 1.969e+06 mil |
| The Eiffel Tower | 7.795e+04 pica | 1.299e+07 mil |
| A marathon | 9.967e+06 pica | 1.661e+09 mil |
| Earth’s diameter | 3.01e+09 pica | 5.017e+11 mil |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.