How to Change Miles to KM on Your Car, GPS Watch or Phone

Crossing a border, buying a used car set to the wrong units, or just preferring km — the process to switch your speedometer, GPS watch, or phone navigation from miles to km varies by device. Below are the exact steps for the most common setups.

The unit converter on this page converts any specific distance value instantly. But if you want your car or watch to permanently display km instead of miles, here is how to change the setting.

Changing Miles to KM on Common Car Brands

Volkswagen / Audi / SEAT / Skoda: Hold the trip reset stalk (left side of instrument cluster) for 5–10 seconds. A menu appears — scroll to units and switch to km/h. Exact method varies by model year.

Volvo XC40 / XC60 / XC90: Go to Settings in the Sensus infotainment system → System → Units → Speed. Select km/h.

Nissan Juke / Qashqai: In the instrument cluster menu (accessed via steering wheel buttons), go to Settings → Units → Distance.

Toyota / Lexus: Many models use the meter reset button. Hold it while the ignition is in position I (not running) to cycle through unit options.

BMW: iDrive settings → Vehicle → Units → Speed and Distance.

If your specific model is not listed: search for your exact make, model, and year with "change to km" — car-specific forums have the fastest answers since the menu location varies significantly by trim and year.

Garmin GPS Watches — Miles to KM

Garmin Forerunner / Fenix / Vivoactive / Instinct:

1. Hold the Menu button (or press Up on older models)
2. Go to Settings
3. Select System
4. Select Units
5. Change Distance to Kilometers

On newer Garmin models with touchscreens, swipe down from the watch face → Settings → System → Units. All future activities will record and display in km.

Garmin Connect app: You can also change the unit preference in the Garmin Connect mobile app under your profile settings — this syncs to the watch.

Sell Custom Apparel — We Handle Printing & Free Shipping

Apple Watch — Miles to KM

Apple Watch workout distance units are controlled from the iPhone, not the watch:

1. Open the Watch app on your iPhone
2. Tap Workout
3. Tap Units of Measure
4. Change running and cycling units to Kilometers

The change takes effect immediately on the watch. Historical activities are not retroactively changed.

Google Maps and Apple Maps

Google Maps: Settings → Navigation settings → Distance units → Kilometers. Available on both Android and iPhone versions of the app.

Apple Maps: Controlled by iPhone region settings. Go to Settings (iPhone) → General → Language & Region → Region. Changing region to a metric country switches Apple Maps to km automatically.

Uber / rideshare apps: Most rideshare apps follow the phone's locale setting. Changing your iPhone or Android region to metric will switch the app's distance display to km.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I change my car speedometer from mph to km/h?

Most cars have a hidden menu accessed by holding the trip reset button or through the infotainment settings under System or Units. The exact steps vary by make, model, and year — check your owner's manual or the car-specific forum for your model.

How do I change Garmin from miles to km?

Hold Menu → Settings → System → Units → Distance → Kilometers. The path may vary slightly by model.

Why does my Apple Watch show miles instead of km?

Distance units on Apple Watch are set in the Watch app on your iPhone: Watch app → Workout → Units of Measure → Kilometers.

How do I change Google Maps to show km?

In Google Maps: tap your profile icon → Settings → Navigation settings → Distance units → Kilometers.