Display ruler on screen is a useful feature for many purposes, from measuring image size, website layout to checking the size of objects in documents. Luckily, Windows offers many ways for you to do this, from built-in tools to third-party applications and browser extensions. This article will show you how to display a ruler on your computer screen using simple and effective methods.

4+ ways to display rulers on the computer screen

Method 1: Use PowerToys

PowerToys is a free toolkit developed by Microsoft, including many useful utilities for Windows. Among them, the “Screen Ruler” feature allows you displays the ruler on the screen upon request.

Steps to display rulers using PowerToys:

1. As a first step, launch the PowerToys application
2. Find the Screen Ruler section.
3. Turn on the Enable Screen Ruler button to activate.
4. Press the key combination Win+Shift+M to display the ruler on the screen.

You can also change the default unit of measurement by opening the corresponding drop-down menu and selecting the appropriate unit.

Method 2: Use the ruler available in Office

Most apps in the Microsoft 365 or Office suite, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, have built-in rulers. You can turn it on or off displays the ruler on the screen any time.

1. To enable the built-in ruler in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, go to the View tab and check the Ruler box.
2. If you no longer need it, you can uncheck the check mark to turn off the ruler.

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Method 3: Use a third-party App

In addition to PowerToys and Office applications, you can also use third-party applications to display rulers on the screen. Let's explore a few useful applications to display rulers!

Measura X

Simple application that displays a ruler on the screen, allowing you to measure the size of windows and other objects. However, this app does not work when you are using full screen mode.

OnScreenRuler

This application displays a simple ruler with two units of measurement, allowing you to measure sizes in inches or centimeters, quite accurate and easy to use.

Simple Screen Ruler

This application provides more information than the above two applications. You can set a ruler image to measure any object on the screen without opening the app. Note that you need to set the display scale to 100% to get accurate results.

Method 4: Use extension

Several browser extensions are available for Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox that allow you to display a ruler right on the screen. Here are some extensions worth trying:

Page Ruler

Simple but useful extension, compatible with Chrome, Edge and Firefox. You can use it to display a ruler and measure the size of an image, frame, or any other object using the mouse.

Better Ruler

Useful Chrome extension that shows dimensions when you select an area. You just need to install it and click on the icon after installation. Then, select the area you want to measure to see the size.

Page Grid Ruler

Firefox compatible extension, displays grid along with measurements. You can also use the mouse to select an area and measure its length and width.

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Conclusion

With the methods presented in the article, you can easily displays the ruler on the screen your computer to serve your measurement and design needs. Experiment and choose the method that best suits your needs and preferences!