EM to Percent Converter Online
Hey there! Ever been deep in your CSS file, staring at a font-size and wondering, “Okay, is 1.25em the same as 125%?”
(Spoiler: Yes, it is!)
It can be a little confusing. Both em and % (percent) are relative units, which means they get their size from their parent element. This is awesome for building flexible, responsive websites, but it can make the math feel a bit like a guessing game.
That’s why we built this simple tool.
It’s a two-way calculator to instantly switch between EM and Percent values. No mental math, no second-guessing. Just type in one value, and you’ll get the other.
How to Use EM to Percent Converter
It’s as easy as it sounds:
- Enter Your Value: Type your value into either box.
- Put
1.5in the EM box… and you’ll see150in the Percent (%) box. - …or type
80in the Percent (%) box, and you’ll see0.8in the EM box.
- Put
- Copy Your Result: Click the “Copy EM” or “Copy %” button to grab the value you need.
- Start Fresh: The “Reset” button clears both fields for your next conversion.
The Simple Math: How to Convert Manually
You don’t need to do the math (that’s what the tool is for!), but it’s super simple to understand.
1em is defined as being equal to 100%. They are just two different ways of saying the exact same thing.
Once you know that, the formulas are easy.
Formula: EM to Percent
To convert an em value to a percent value, you just multiply by 100.
EM×100=Percent(%)
Example: You have
1.5em.1.5 * 100 = 150So,1.5em=150%.
Formula: Percent to EM
To convert a percent value back to em, you just divide by 100.
Percent(%)÷100=EM
Example: You have
75%.75 / 100 = 0.75So,75%=0.75em.
EM to Percentage Conversion Table
Need a quick answer? Here’s a handy chart for common conversions.
| EM Value | Percent (%) Value |
| 0.25 em | 25% |
| 0.5 em | 50% |
| 0.75 em | 75% |
| 0.8 em | 80% |
| 0.9 em | 90% |
| 1 em | 100% (Base Size) |
| 1.1 em | 110% |
| 1.25 em | 125% |
| 1.5 em | 150% |
| 1.75 em | 175% |
| 2 em | 200% (Double Size) |
| 2.5 em | 250% |
| 3 em | 300% |
Why Do Both EM and Percent Even Exist?
This is a great question. Since 1.5em and 150% do the exact same thing (when used for font-size), why have both?
It mostly comes down to developer preference.
- Some developers think
1.5emis cleaner and easier to read. - Other developers find
150%more descriptive and intuitive (“I want this to be 50% larger than normal”).
They are two different tools in your CSS toolbox that accomplish the same goal. This converter just helps you switch between them whenever you want.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is an EM unit?
A: An em is a relative unit of measurement. 1em is equal to the computed font-size of its parent element. If a <div> has a font-size of 18px, then 1em inside that <div> will be 18px.
Q: Is 1em always 16px?
A: No! This is a common myth. 16px is just the default font-size for most web browsers. 1em is only 16px if its parent element is also 16px.
Q: What’s the difference between EM and REM?
A: This is a key difference!
- EM is relative to the Parent Element.
- REM (Root EM) is relative to the Root Element (the
<html>tag).
Many developers use rem for site-wide sizing (like margins and padding) and use em for things that should scale with their immediate container (like the padding inside a button).
Q: Why use EM or Percent instead of Pixels (PX)?
A: Accessibility! px units are absolute. They are “fixed” in size. em and % units are relative. If a user with low vision tells their browser to “Make all text larger,” em and % based layouts will scale up beautifully. Pixel-based layouts can often break or look strange.