How many foot-candles is 1 lux?

1 lux equals approximately 0.09290 foot-candles. The exact conversion factor is 1 foot-candle = 10.76391 lux, so 1 lux = 1 / 10.76391 ≈ 0.092903 fc.

How many lux is 1 foot-candle?

1 foot-candle equals exactly 10.76391 lux. This comes from the fact that 1 foot-candle is 1 lumen per square foot, and 1 square foot = 0.092903 m², so 1 fc = 1 / 0.092903 lux ≈ 10.7639 lux.

What is the difference between lux and foot-candles?

Both lux and foot-candles measure illuminance — the amount of light hitting a surface. Lux (lx) is the SI unit: 1 lumen per square meter. Foot-candle (fc) is the imperial unit: 1 lumen per square foot. The US lighting industry often uses foot-candles; the rest of the world uses lux.

When should I use foot-candles instead of lux?

Use foot-candles when working to US standards such as IESNA (Illuminating Engineering Society of North America) recommendations, OSHA workplace lighting requirements, or when collaborating with American lighting designers and electrical engineers.

Is this conversion exact?

Yes. 1 foot is defined as exactly 0.3048 m, so 1 square foot = 0.09290304 m². Therefore 1 fc = 1 / 0.09290304 lux = 10.763910417 lux. This tool uses 10.76391 — accurate to 7 significant figures, more than enough for any lighting application.

Lux to Foot-candles Converter

Enter a lux value and instantly get the equivalent in foot-candles, plus the formula and real-world lighting reference points.

Lux to Foot-candles

Illuminance in lux (lx)

Enter a lux value above to see the result.

Formula: fc = lx ÷ 10.76391

Common Lighting Levels

Environment	Lux (lx)	Foot-candles (fc)

Click any row to load that lux value into the converter.

Summary

This converter turns any lux value into foot-candles in real time using the exact factor: 1 foot-candle = 10.76391 lux. All math runs in your browser — no server call needed. Alongside the result you get the full formula and a reference table of common lighting levels so you can put the number in context.

How it works

Enter the illuminance value in lux in the input field.
The converter divides your value by 10.76391 to get foot-candles.
The result updates instantly as you type.
Copy the result with one click.
Use the reference table to compare your result against common lighting environments.

Use cases

Convert photometric measurements for US lighting design projects.
Translate European lux specifications into foot-candles for American clients.
Check camera or sensor exposure settings that use foot-candle ratings.
Verify illuminance levels in office, retail, or industrial lighting audits.
Convert lux readings from a light meter into foot-candles for IESNA compliance.
Compare illuminance values from datasheets that use different unit systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-19 · Reviewed by Nham Vu