16px → REM

16px to REM - 1rem at 16px Base

At the default browser root size of 16px, 16px equals 1rem. Formula: rem = px ÷ 16.

Last reviewed: June 28, 2026

CSS snippet

.example {
  font-size: 1rem; /* 16px at 16px root */
  padding: 1rem;
}

PX to REM formula

rem = px ÷ root font size

16px ÷ 16px = 1rem

Worked example: To convert 16px at a 16px root, divide 16 by 16. 16 ÷ 16 = 1. Write font-size: 1rem; instead of font-size: 16px; so text scales when users enlarge their browser default font size.

Common use cases at 16px (1rem)

Category	Tailwind / design use	CSS property example
Font size	text-base (1rem)	`font-size: 1rem;`
Spacing	p-4, gap-4, m-4	`padding: 1rem;`
Gap / margin	p-4, gap-4, m-4	`gap: 1rem;`

  
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Also see  15px to rem
 
and  18px to rem

.
 
 
 16px to REM FAQ
How do you convert 16px to rem?
Divide 16 by the root font size. At the default 16px base: 16 ÷ 16 = 1rem. Formula: rem = px ÷ root font size. Paste font-size: 1rem; into your CSS so typography scales when users change their browser default font size.
What is 16px in rem at 16px base?
At a 16px root font size, 16px equals exactly 1rem. This is the browser default unless your project or the user changes html { font-size }. If your root differs, scale with rem = 16 ÷ yourRootPx before shipping production styles.
Should I use 1rem or 16px in CSS?
Use 1rem for typography and spacing that should scale with the user's root font-size preference - important for accessibility. Reserve 16px for fixed values like 1px borders or bitmap image dimensions. Prefer rem for layout rhythm so zoom and OS font settings do not clip text.
How do I convert 1rem back to pixels?
Multiply 1rem by 16: 1 × 16 = 16px. Reverse formula: px = rem × root font size. Use that when a design tool exports rem tokens and you need pixel sizes for image assets, canvas drawing, or developer handoff docs.
Where is 16px commonly used in web design?
16px (1rem) maps to text-base (1rem) in typical design systems. For Tailwind spacing, see p-4, gap-4, m-4. Check the use-case table on this page for CSS property examples covering font-size, padding, and gap so you can pick a consistent token across components and breakpoints.
    Full converter
 
PX to REM Converter - any value, custom base
  
   Cheat sheet
 
PX to REM cheat sheet - 12px through 64px