How to convert oven temperatures
Recipes around the world use different scales for the same oven heat. The United States uses Fahrenheit, most of Europe uses Celsius, and older British recipes use gas marks. Converting between them is straightforward with two formulas:
- °C to °F: multiply by 9, divide by 5, then add 32
- °F to °C: subtract 32, multiply by 5, then divide by 9
Gas marks don’t follow a clean formula, so they’re best looked up from a table. The converter above does all three at once and also calculates the fan-oven setting for you.
Oven temperature conversion table
These are the most common roasting and baking temperatures with every equivalent scale side by side:
| Celsius | Fahrenheit | Gas mark | Fan °C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 140°C | 284°F | 1 | 120°C |
| 160°C | 320°F | 3 | 140°C |
| 180°C | 356°F | 4 | 160°C |
| 200°C | 392°F | 6 | 180°C |
| 220°C | 428°F | 7 | 200°C |
| 240°C | 464°F | 9 | 220°C |
What is a fan (convection) oven?
A fan oven — also called a convection oven — has a fan at the back that circulates the hot air. That moving air transfers heat to food faster and more evenly than the still air of a conventional oven, so it effectively cooks “hotter” at the same dial setting.
To account for that, the rule of thumb is to set a fan oven 20°C lower than a recipe written for a conventional oven. So a recipe calling for 200°C becomes 180°C on the fan setting. The converter applies this −20°C rule automatically. Because fan ovens are more efficient, also start checking your food a few minutes early.
Keep the whole recipe in one place
Getting the temperature right is half the battle — keeping track of the steps is the other half. Swoodie stores your saved recipes with their temperatures, timings, and instructions so nothing gets lost mid-cook. Pair this with our cooking measurement converter for ingredient amounts, or the recipe scaler when you need to feed a bigger crowd.
Frequently asked questions
What is 180°C in Fahrenheit?
180°C equals 356°F, which most recipes round to 350°F. It also corresponds to gas mark 4. To convert any Celsius value yourself, multiply by 9, divide by 5, and add 32.
How do I convert gas mark to Celsius?
Each gas mark maps to a set temperature: gas mark 4 is 180°C, gas mark 6 is 200°C, and so on up the scale. Use the converter above or the reference table to look up any mark. Roughly, every step up the scale from gas mark 3 adds about 10–20°C.
How much lower should I set a fan oven?
A fan (convection) oven circulates hot air, so it cooks faster and more evenly. The standard rule is to set it 20°C lower than a conventional recipe temperature — so 200°C conventional becomes 180°C fan. Some manufacturers suggest 25°C, so check your oven's manual.
Do I need to change the cooking time for a fan oven?
Slightly. Because a fan oven is more efficient, food can cook a little faster even at the lower temperature. Start checking 5–10 minutes before the recipe's stated time, especially for bakes and roasts.
How do I convert Fahrenheit to Celsius?
Subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit value, then multiply by 5 and divide by 9. For example, 350°F minus 32 is 318, times 5 is 1,590, divided by 9 is about 177°C — which rounds to the common 180°C setting.
Oven dials vary, and many run hotter or cooler than their setting. For best results, use an oven thermometer and treat these conversions as a reliable starting point.