Detailed x‐ray diffraction investigations, based on precise measurements of the position, asymmetry, broadening, and shape of x‐ray diffraction profiles 111, 200, 220, 311, 222, and 400 recorded in a counter diffractometer, have been performed on vacuum‐evaporated fcc lead films in the range of thickness ∼300–6500 A˚. The films are deposited on glass substrates at a residual air pressure ∼5×10−5Torr for both normal and oblique vapor directions. The complete analyses have revealed clearly the microstructural features in these vapor‐deposited films. Near‐isotropy in the domain size and rms strain values with a relatively less size effect has been observed. The magnitudes of the respective compound fault parameters, close to the error limits, indicate the total absence of intrinsic (&agr;′), extrinsic (&agr;″), and even growth twin (&bgr;) stacking faults in the films. The dislocation density (&rgr;) is typical for thin films and is ∼1011cm/cm3. The residual internal stresses (&sgr;), compressive in nature, are small, and the small lattice parameter changes show a contraction in the plane of the film. The films are found to be highly oriented along [111] irrespective of the source position. It has been observed that the microstructural parameters exhibit more or less a regular variation with film thickness and are less influenced by the source position.