Pixels to Inches and Inches to Pixels Calculator for 72 dpi, 300 dpi, and other resolutions. For web jobs and printing projects in Adobe Photoshop, InDesign etc. Complete with many explanations, tips, and examples.
Whether you’re printing a brochure, poster, flier or photograph, it’s essential to understand image resolution and how to convert digital images and photographs properly if you want your pictures to come out the size and clarity you’re looking for. You could do the math yourself, or you could be 100% certain of a solution to getting the resolution you want by consulting our Pixels to Inches Converter below.
Pixels to Inches converter: Pixels (px) – Inches (in) – DPI – Centimeters
Use our calculator to print out digital photos and images at the size and resolution you want. Simply plug the height and width of your image in pixels into the Pixels to Inches Converter to translate the dimensions into inches. Or reverse the process to determine the overall pixels required to obtain the size and resolution that meet your needs.
At a Glance
- A pixel (px) is the smallest element used to compose a display on a digital video screen.
- Converting pixels to inches enables you to control the sharpness, color and clarity of the photos you print.
- Dividing the height and width of an image in pixels by the same dimensions in inches yields the pixel density in PPI or DPI.
- A pixel density of 72 PPI prevails as a ubiquitous standard for websites on the internet.
- For high-quality photos and other print products, a 300 PPI and higher pixel density is common.
What is a pixel?
A contraction of the term “picture element,” a pixel (px) is the smallest possible unit of light and color manipulated to compose a digital image on a video display screen. On screen, resolution is measured as pixels per inch (PPI). Although often used interchangeably with PPI, the term dots per inch (DPI) is more accurate when referring to the measurement used for printing purposes.
Now, here’s how to translate those digits of data into vivid clarity and bright color. Just enter the height and width of your image in pixels into the Pixels to Inches Converter and click for the same dimensions in inches. Or vice versa.
How to convert pixels to inches and inches to pixels?
The conversion from pixels to another unit of measurement isn’t exactly direct. That’s because pixels are a number of discrete tiny dots and inches are a continuous length measurement (basically, the same difference between digital and analog information). In order to do the calculation, you need to know the number of dots in a certain unit of length, such as an inch.
The easiest way to calculate the conversion on your own is a simple equation:
Pixel value (total height or width of image in pixels) ÷ DPI value = image width in inches
Or, conversely:
Image width in inches x DPI value = Pixel value
Or think of it as an inverse ratio: You start with a digital image of a certain number of pixels. As you increase or decrease the size at which it is displayed or printed, in inches, say, you also raise and lower the PPI, which increases or decreases the resolution. Consequently, ensuring you always get the color and clarity of image you want at the size you want is simply a matter of mastering this ratio of the number of pixels to the size in inches.
Here’s a hypothetical scenario to help you understand this basic formula. Take, for example, your passport photo, which the U.S. Department of State specifies must measure 2” x 2” at no less than 300 PPI, or 600 x 600 total pixel value. Now blow it up to 12” x 12”, which will reduce the DPI to a mere 50. At that low resolution, you’d literally be spreading yourself so thin you’d scarcely be recognizable.
Pixels to inches for printing
For the design and construction of most websites on the Internet—BlitzResults.com, for example—72 PPI has become something of a universal standard for screen resolution. However, resolution this low is rarely suitable for printed products.
If you’ve ever printed a photograph at home, you probably noticed that some come out sharper and more colorful than others. That’s because printers have varying DPI/PPI capability. Most printers currently on the market are capable of printing somewhere in the 150-600×150-600 DPI/PPI range. As on screens, the higher the pixel count, the clearer your printed photo will be. For sharp photographs and legible text, most professional printing these days is executed at a high-resolution 300 DPI.
Pixel perfect printed products
Now that you know what goes into image resolution and the printing of high-quality digital imagery—not to mention our formidable Pixel to Inches Converter—you’re ready to create some high-quality, high-resolution images of your own.
Perhaps you want to send a framed 8” x 10” wedding photo to a beloved aunt who was unable to attend your nuptials. Given the considerable size, it’s going to require a lot of pixels. You settle on 300 DPI as being sufficient resolution, which means you’ll need to start with a digital photograph of 2,400 x 3,000 pixels.
Or maybe you’re going quasi-professional and creating your own calendar and need to print 13 (12 months and a cover) high-quality, high-resolution 10” x 12” shots of some of your best photographs. You want the calendar to be a real showpiece of your talents, so you ratchet up the resolution to 600 DPI. The 6,000 x 7,200 adds up to a total of 43.2 million pixels, a photographic resolution attainable only by some of the highest end cameras and printers.
FAQ
How many pixels in one inch?
Pixels can be manipulated to a density anywhere from 1 PPI, which is scarcely visible, to a resolution of thousands of PPI. Technology is constantly extending the upper limits of what is achievable in high resolution. Let our Pixels to Inches Converter break it down for you.
How big is an image measuring 1080 x 1920 px in inches?
At a low resolution of 72 PPI, the image would measure 11.25” x 20”. At a high resolution of 300, the same image would measure 3.6” x 6.4”. Our Pixels to Inches Converter might not beat you at chess, but it will calculate size and resolution faster.
What are 8.5 x 11 inch in pixels?
You want to print an 8.5×11-inch image and are unsure if the quality is good enough? Use our Pixels to Inches Converter or read below:
For 72 DPI:
8.5 inches x 72 DPI = 612 pixels
11 inches x 72 DPI = 792 pixels
For 150 DPI:
8.5 inches x 150 DPI = 1275 pixels
11 inches x 150 DPI = 1650 pixels
For 300 DPI:
Width: 8.5 inches x 300 DPI = 2550 pixels
Height: 11 inches x 300 DPI = 3300 pixels
What exact are pixels?
A contraction of the term “picture element,” simply put, a pixel is the smallest possible unit of light and color used to compose a digital image for video display. Calculate exactly how many px you need for your next digital creation with our Pixels to Inches Converter.
How can I ensure I get the resolution I want at the size I want?
Obtaining the sharpness and clarity you need in your image is a matter of understanding the crucial relationship of pixel density vs. the dimension (height and width) in inches. Once you do, use our Pixels to Inches Converter to customize your printed creations.
How can I convert pixels to inches?
Determine the height and width of your image in pixels, then divide each measurement by the PPI to arrive at the height and width. Or better yet, have our Pixels to Inches Converter do it for you.
How can I convert pixels to inches for printing?
Converting pixels to inches for printing is exactly the same as converting pixels to inches any other time, only it takes a lot more of them, probably a minimum of 300 DPI. Our Pixels to Inches Converter is ready to crunch those numbers for you.