Convert ounces to pounds with this simple calculator. Useful for food measurements, fitness tracking, shipping, and more
If you've ever stood in your kitchen holding a bag of flour and wondered, "How many pounds is this in ounces?" you're not alone. Whether you're cooking, mailing a package, or just trying to understand your bathroom scale, converting ounces (oz) to pounds (lb) is something you'll run into more often than you think.
This guide walks you through what these units mean, how to convert them, and where it all comes into play in real life.
An ounce is a small unit of weight used in the U.S. customary system. It's handy for measuring light items like food portions, mail, or supplements.
To put it in perspective:
Ounces are great when precision matters in small quantities, especially in cooking, nutrition, and shipping.
A pound is a larger unit of weight, also part of the U.S. customary system. It's what most people in the U.S. use when talking about body weight, grocery items, or shipping packages.
Quick facts:
If ounces measure the small stuff, pounds handle the bigger picture.
Converting ounces to pounds is simple: divide the number of ounces by 16.
That's because there are 16 ounces in one pound. You don't need any complex math—just a basic division.
Formula:
Pounds = Ounces / 16
If you have 32 ounces, you can think:
32 divided by 16 = 2 pounds
Example:
Let's say you're following a recipe that calls for 40 ounces of flour. Most kitchen scales work in pounds, so you need to convert.
40/6 = 2.5
That means 40 ounces is equal to 2.5 pounds. You'll measure out two and a half pounds of flour.
Another example:
Let's say you are mailing a package and packing a box that weighs 48 ounces. USPS and other carriers typically charge by the pound. So you calculate:
48/16 = 3
You now know your package weighs 3 pounds. These kinds of everyday situations are where this simple conversion makes life easier.
| Ounces (oz) | Pounds (lbs) |
|---|---|
| 1 oz | 0.0625 lbs |
| 2 oz | 0.125 lbs |
| 3 oz | 0.1875 lbs |
| 4 oz | 0.25 lbs |
| 5 oz | 0.3125 lbs |
| 6 oz | 0.375 lbs |
| 7 oz | 0.4375 lbs |
| 8 oz | 0.5 lbs |
| 9 oz | 0.5625 lbs |
| 10 oz | 0.625 lbs |
| 11 oz | 0.6875 lbs |
| 12 oz | 0.75 lbs |
| 13 oz | 0.8125 lbs |
| 14 oz | 0.875 lbs |
| 15 oz | 0.9375 lbs |
| 16 oz | 1 lbs |
There are 16 ounces in a standard pound (avoirdupois system), which is commonly used in the United States for everyday weight measurements like food, groceries, and body weight.
There are 12 troy ounces in a troy pound. However, the troy pound is rarely used today. The troy ounce is still used in measuring precious metals like gold and silver, but the standard pound in the U.S. uses the avoirdupois system.
Gold is measured in troy ounces, and there are 12 troy ounces in a troy pound. But in most modern cases, gold is traded by the troy ounce, not the pound.
Sixteen ounces is equal to 1 pound. This is because in the U.S. customary system (known as the avoirdupois system), 1 pound is defined as exactly 16 ounces.