Facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR), explained

The measurement

fWHR is bizygomatic width (the distance between the two cheekbones at their widest) divided by upper-face height. The most common definition of the height runs from the upper eyelids to the top of the lip; others run from the brow. Because the height definition varies, published fWHR numbers aren't always comparable.

A higher fWHR means a wider, shorter-looking face. A lower fWHR means a narrower, longer-looking face.

Typical ranges

Measured consistently, most adult faces land somewhere between about 1.7 and 2.1. Male faces tend to sit a little higher than female faces on average, which is part of why a wider face reads as more masculine.

There is no single 'ideal' fWHR. A moderately high ratio reads as strong and masculine; a lower ratio reads as softer and more delicate. What suits a face depends on the rest of its structure and on the sex you're judging it against.

What the research says

Studies have linked higher fWHR in men to perceptions of dominance and aggression, and some have found weak associations with real-world behaviour. The effects are small, inconsistent across samples, and strongly moderated by context and expression.

The honest summary: fWHR is a real, repeatable measurement that captures something about facial shape, but it is a weak predictor of anything about a person. Treat it as one descriptive number among many, not a verdict.

How photos distort it

fWHR is sensitive to camera distance and lens. A close-up or a wide-angle phone lens stretches the centre of the face forward, changing apparent width and height. For a stable reading, use a photo taken from around 1.5 metres with a normal lens, head level and facing straight ahead.

A worked example

Two hypothetical faces, measured level and straight on, show how the same method can describe quite different shapes:

Reading the example

Face A is a little narrower and has a taller upper face, so its ratio is lower and the face reads longer and softer. Face B is wider with a shorter upper face, so its ratio is higher and the face reads broad and strong. Both are ordinary, and neither is more correct. The number simply tells you where on that range you sit.

Notice that the two inputs move the result in opposite ways: a wider face and a shorter upper face both raise the ratio. That is why small changes in how the height is measured matter so much.

Why tools disagree

There is no single agreed definition of the height. Some tools measure from the upper eyelids, some from the brow line, some from the bridge of the nose, and all of them stop at the top of the upper lip. A tool that starts the height lower down produces a higher number for the same face. So an fWHR from another app, or from a paper, isn't directly comparable with yours. Here the height starts at the brow line.

Questions about fWHR