Key Takeaways:

How to Change Units in SOLIDWORKS

Method 1: Change Units from the Status Bar ⭐ (Fastest)

Open your Part, Assembly, or Drawing.
Go to the bottom-right corner of the SOLIDWORKS window.
Click the Unit System (e.g., MMGS, IPS, or MKS).
Select the required unit system.

Method 2: Change Units Through Document Properties

Go to Tools → Options.
Select the Document Properties tab.
Click Units.
Choose the desired unit system and click OK.

Common Unit Systems

Unit System	Use
MMGS	Millimeter, Gram, Second (Mechanical Engineering)
MKS	Meter, Kilogram, Second
CGS	Centimeter, Gram, Second
IPS	Inch, Pound, Second

Set Units as Default

To use the same units for every new file:

Set your preferred units.
Save the file as a Part, Assembly, or Drawing Template (.prtdot, .asmdot, .drwdot).

Key Takeaway

Status Bar → Unit System → Select Units ⭐

Tools → Options → Document Properties → Units → Apply

How to Change Units in SOLIDWORKS

Changing units in SOLIDWORKS allows you to work in millimeters, centimeters, meters, inches, feet, or other supported unit systems. You can change units temporarily for a document or set them through the document properties for more control.

1. Change Units from the Status Bar

The quickest way to change units is through the status bar at the bottom of the SOLIDWORKS window.

Steps

Open your SOLIDWORKS Part, Assembly, or Drawing.
Look at the bottom-right corner of the SOLIDWORKS window.
Find the current unit display, such as:
- MMGS
- IPS
- CGS
- MKS
Click the unit display.
Select the required unit system.

For example:

MMGS → IPS

changes the document from a metric millimeter/gram/second system to an inch/pound/second system.

Quick Method

Bottom-right Unit Display → Select Unit System

This is the fastest method when you simply want to switch the active document’s units.

2. Change Units Through Document Properties

For more detailed control, use Document Properties.

Steps

Open your SOLIDWORKS document.
Go to:

Tools → Options

Select the Document Properties tab.
Select Units.
Choose the desired unit system.

Common options include:

MMGS
CGS
MKS
IPS
Custom

Custom Units

You can also select Custom when you want to control individual units.

For example:

Length → mm
Mass → kg
Time → seconds
Angle → degrees

Then click:

The document will use the selected settings.

3. Common Unit Systems

SOLIDWORKS provides several commonly used unit systems.

Unit System	Length	Mass	Common Use
MMGS	mm	g	Mechanical design
MKS	m	kg	SI engineering
CGS	cm	g	Scientific applications
IPS	inch	pound	US customary engineering
Custom	User-defined	User-defined	Specialized projects

Most Common for Mechanical CAD

MMGS is widely used for mechanical design, especially when dimensions are specified in millimeters.

For example:

50 mm × 30 mm × 20 mm

4. Set Units as Default

If you frequently create new SOLIDWORKS parts, you can save your preferred units in a template.

This is better than changing the units manually every time you create a new file.

Steps

Create a new Part document.
Set the required units, such as MMGS.
Configure any other document settings you want.
Go to:

File → Save As

Choose the appropriate SOLIDWORKS template format.
Save the template.
Use this template when creating future parts.

You can similarly create templates for:

Parts
Assemblies
Drawings

Example

Create:

Mechanical Part Template → MMGS

Then every new part created from that template starts with your preferred unit system.

Which Unit System Should You Use?

Mechanical Engineering

MMGS

is usually a good choice when working with metric mechanical components.

US-Based Manufacturing

IPS

is commonly used when drawings and manufacturing specifications are in inches.

Scientific/SI Work

MKS

may be appropriate for applications using meters and kilograms.

Specialized Projects

Use Custom Units when different quantities require specific unit conventions.

Quick Reference

Fastest Way

Bottom-right Unit Display → Select MMGS / IPS / MKS / CGS

Detailed Way

Tools → Options → Document Properties → Units

Set as Default

Set units → Save as Part/Assembly/Drawing Template

Conclusion

Changing units in SOLIDWORKS is simple:

Quick Change

→ Status Bar → Unit System

Detailed Settings

→ Tools → Options → Document Properties → Units

Default Units

→ Set your preferred units → Save as a Template

For most metric mechanical-design work, MMGS is a practical choice. If you’re working with inch-based engineering drawings, IPS is generally more appropriate.

SOLIDWORKS Design Help: Document Properties – Units: Official Dassault Systèmes documentation detailing unit system choices (MMGS, IPS, MKS, CGS), custom unit creation, and precision decimal control.