How to Measure Your Foot Width at Home (in 3 Minutes)
Most people have never measured their foot width. They have measured length, because that determines size, but width is treated as secondary — you try a shoe on and hope it fits. This is why so many people walk around in shoes that are technically the right size but cause pain, blisters, and deformity over years of wear.
Measuring your foot width takes three minutes. It will change how you buy shoes.
What you need
- Two sheets of plain paper (A4 or letter)
- A pen or pencil with a fine point
- A ruler or measuring tape
- A hard floor (not carpet)
The method
Step 1: Stand on the paper.
Place the paper on a hard floor. Stand on it with your full weight — do not just rest your foot on it. Your foot width is different when you are standing (bearing weight) than when you are sitting. Weight-bearing is what matters for fitting shoes.
Step 2: Trace your foot.
Hold the pen perpendicular to the paper (not at an angle). Trace slowly and closely around your entire foot. The pen should almost touch your foot as you trace. Do both feet — most people have slightly different widths.
Step 3: Measure the width.
Use your ruler to measure the distance between the widest points of your tracing. On most feet, this is at the ball (the widest part of the forefoot, approximately at the first and fifth metatarsal heads). Write down the measurement for both feet in millimetres.
Step 4: Measure the length.
While you have the outline, measure from the back of the heel to the tip of the longest toe. This confirms your length measurement.
Reading the results
Once you have your foot width in millimetres, you can compare it against sizing charts.
The difficulty is that shoe widths are brand-specific. A "2E wide" from New Balance is not the same width as "wide" from Nike. Some general guidelines:
| Foot width (women's US 8 equivalent) | Typical width label |
|---|---|
| Less than 84mm | Narrow (AA or A) |
| 84–91mm | Standard (B or D depending on brand) |
| 91–97mm | Wide (D or 2E) |
| Over 97mm | Extra wide (4E) |
These ranges shift up approximately 5mm for each full size larger. A women's US 10 standard width foot is wider in millimetres than a women's US 6 standard width foot, even though both are labelled "standard."
What to do with the measurement
If your measurement falls in the standard range but shoes consistently feel tight: Brands vary significantly in actual last width. Nike, Adidas, and most European brands run narrower than their labels suggest. New Balance, Saucony, and Brooks tend to run true-to-width.
If your measurement falls in the wide range: Look specifically for brands that offer genuine 2E or 4E options. Filter by width in the SoleHunt finder to see only shoes that accommodate your width.
If your measurement differs between feet: Fit to the wider foot. A shoe that is slightly loose on the narrower foot is far less problematic than a shoe that is tight on the wider one.
The wet foot test
As a cross-check, wet the sole of your foot and step onto a paper bag or a sheet of brown paper. The imprint left behind shows your arch type and gives a rough sense of your foot width:
- A very thin band connecting heel and toe: high arch, likely narrow-to-standard width
- A moderate connection with a visible waist: neutral arch, standard width
- Full or near-full imprint with no waist visible: flat arch, often wider than average
This is the same test used to fit shoes in podiatric assessments. It is less precise than measuring, but useful as a quick check.