Haircut Numbers Chart: Every Clipper Guard Size Explained
A #2 is a quarter inch. A #8 is an inch. Every guard in one chart, what each length looks like on a real head, and the numbers to give your barber.
· 4 min read
Haircut numbers are clipper guard sizes. Each number is the length of hair the guard leaves, counted in eighths of an inch: a #1 leaves 1/8 inch (3 mm), a #2 leaves 1/4 inch (6 mm), and each step up adds another eighth, up to a #8 at 1 inch (25 mm). The lower the number, the shorter the cut.
Haircut numbers chart
| Number | Inches | Millimeters | What it looks like | Common use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #0 (no guard) | About 1/32–1/16 | About 1–1.5 | Heavy stubble, scalp clearly visible | Bottom of fades, very close buzz |
| #0.5 | 1/16 | 1.5 | Scalp visible | Blending the bottom of a fade |
| #1 | 1/8 | 3 | Very close, scalp shows through | Short buzz, fade sides, undercut |
| #1.5 | 3/16 | 4.5 | Close, a little less scalp | Blending between a 1 and a 2 |
| #2 | 1/4 | 6 | Short; scalp shows in bright light | Classic buzz cut, crew cut sides |
| #3 | 3/8 | 10 | Short and soft, scalp mostly hidden | Longer buzz, tapered sides |
| #4 | 1/2 | 13 | Even short length, no scalp | Long buzz, short top |
| #5 | 5/8 | 16 | Hair starts to lie down | Top of a short crew cut |
| #6 | 3/4 | 19 | Lies flat, can be pushed forward | Crew cut top |
| #7 | 7/8 | 22 | Soft and combable | Longer crew cut top |
| #8 | 1 | 25 | Longest standard guard; can be styled | Top before switching to scissors |
How the numbering works
- One number = one eighth of an inch. A #3 is 3/8 inch, a #4 is 4/8 (1/2) inch, and so on up to #8.
- Half numbers sit in between. A #1.5 is 3/16 inch. Barbers use them to blend a fade so there is no visible line between two guards.
- A zero is no guard at all. The bare clipper blade still leaves a little stubble. "Skin" or "bald" means the barber finishes with a foil shaver or a razor.
- In the UK it is called a grade. "A grade 2" is the same as "a number 2" in the US.
- Above #8 is scissor territory. Some kits include #10 and #12 guards, but most barbers switch to scissors once the top is longer than an inch.
What each number looks like
- #0 to #1: close enough that the scalp shows. Used for very short buzz cuts and the short part of fades. Regrowth is visible within a week.
- #2 to #3: the classic buzz cut range. Short and tidy, with some scalp showing on light or fine hair. A good first buzz is a #3.
- #4 to #5: short but full. The hair stops standing straight up and starts to lie down, so it looks softer.
- #6 to #8: long enough to push forward or to the side. Usually used on top, with shorter guards on the sides.
Which number to ask for
| Haircut | Sides and back | Top |
|---|---|---|
| Buzz cut | Same all over, #1 to #4 | Same as the sides |
| Crew cut | #2 or #3, tapered | #6 to #8, or about an inch with scissors |
| Low taper fade | #0.5 or #1 at the sideburns and neckline, blended up | Scissors, any length |
| Skin fade | Shaved at the bottom, then #0.5, #1, #2, #3 up the sides | Scissors |
| Undercut | #1 or #2, no blending | Scissors, 3 inches or more |
| Textured crop | Fade or taper from #0 or #1 | Scissors, 1 to 2 inches, point-cut |
| Shaved head | No guard, then a foil shaver or razor | Same |
What is the 3-2-1 haircut rule?
The 3-2-1 rule is barber shorthand for a soft, graduated fade: a #3 on the upper sides, a #2 in the middle and a #1 at the bottom, each blended into the next. It is not an official standard, just an easy way to ask for a fade without naming heights. Shift it down to 2-1-0 for a sharper fade, or finish on skin for a skin fade. If you are not sure how a fade differs from a taper, read taper vs fade.
Tips before you pick a number
- Go one number longer than you think. You can always go shorter in the same visit. You cannot go longer.
- Hair color changes the result. Light, fine hair at a #2 shows more scalp than dark, thick hair at the same number, so it looks shorter.
- Curly hair shrinks. A #4 on curls looks shorter than a #4 on straight hair, because the curl takes up length.
- Hair grows about half an inch a month. A #2 (1/4 inch) buzz is at #6 length (3/4 inch) a month later, which is why buzz cuts need a trim every one to three weeks.
