About the Print Size & DPI Calculator
This print size calculator converts an image's pixel dimensions into a physical print size in inches and centimetres at a chosen resolution, answering the question of exactly how large a photo can print before it starts looking soft or pixelated. It also shows the same image's size across several common print resolutions at once, useful for comparing a high-quality photo print against a lower-resolution poster or banner.
How to use the Print Size & DPI Calculator
- 1
Enter the image's width and height in pixels — check your camera or photo editing software if you're not sure.
- 2
Enter the print resolution in DPI; 300 is standard for photo-quality prints.
- 3
Read the resulting print size in inches and centimetres.
- 4
Check the comparison table to see how the same image prints at other common resolutions.
What people use it for
Checking a photo before ordering a large print
Confirm a photo has enough resolution for the print size you want before submitting it to a print lab, avoiding a soft or pixelated result.
Sizing a poster or banner correctly
Work out what resolution a large-format print genuinely needs, since posters viewed from a distance can use a much lower DPI than a photo viewed up close.
Matching camera resolution to intended use
See what megapixel count and resolution setting are actually needed for a specific print size before a shoot, rather than guessing.
What DPI actually measures
DPI, dots per inch, describes how many pixels of the source image are packed into each inch of the printed output — it is a property of the print, not of the image file itself, which is why the same photo can be a small, sharp print or a large, soft one depending purely on the DPI chosen. A higher DPI packs more pixels into each inch, producing a smaller but sharper print from the same source image; a lower DPI spreads those same pixels further, producing a larger but softer result.
Choosing the right DPI for the viewing distance
300 DPI is the conventional standard for photographs and documents viewed at a normal reading distance of thirty to forty centimetres, where the eye can resolve fine detail. Large-format prints such as posters, banners and billboards are viewed from much further away, where the eye simply cannot distinguish detail at that density, so 150 DPI or even lower is standard and genuinely looks sharp at the intended viewing distance without requiring an impractically high-resolution source image.
Tips
- A screen displays at roughly 72 to 110 DPI, far below print quality, so an image that looks sharp on screen can still be too low-resolution to print well at a large size.
- For a print viewed from further away, such as a poster, a lower DPI than 300 is not a compromise — it is the correct choice.
- Upscaling software can smooth a low-resolution image but cannot add real detail that was never captured; shoot at the highest resolution available if a large print is planned.