Golden Ratio Calculator
Calculate dimensions using the golden ratio, the proportion long used in art and design.
The proportion that keeps appearing
The golden ratio is a specific proportion, roughly 1.618, that appears throughout art, architecture and nature and is widely felt to be pleasing to the eye. This calculates golden-ratio dimensions from a measurement you give, so you can apply the proportion to layouts, sizing and spacing.
The ratio and how to use it
The golden ratio comes from a simple idea — dividing a line so the whole relates to the larger part as the larger part relates to the smaller — which works out to about 1.618.
golden ratio ~ 1.618larger part = total / 1.618or: smaller x 1.618 = largerIn design it is used to size elements in relation to each other: a sidebar to a main column, a heading to body text, the height of a section to its width.
A useful guide, not a magic rule
It is worth a little honesty here: while the golden ratio genuinely appears in nature and has a long history in design, claims that it is a universal formula for beauty are often overstated, and plenty of celebrated design does not use it. Treat it as one reliable tool for creating balanced proportions — a sensible default when you need to divide a space or relate two sizes and want it to feel harmonious — rather than a mystical rule. Used that way, it is a genuinely handy starting point for proportions that tend to look right, which you then adjust by eye.
Common questions
What is the golden ratio?
A proportion of roughly 1.618, from dividing a line so the whole relates to the larger part as the larger relates to the smaller. It recurs in art and nature.
How is it used in design?
To size elements in relation to each other — a sidebar to a main column, a heading to body text — for proportions that tend to feel balanced.
Is it a magic formula for beauty?
No — that claim is often overstated, and much great design ignores it. Treat it as one reliable tool for balanced proportions, not a mystical rule.
Is anything uploaded?
No. The calculation happens in your browser.