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 maths 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 or Centimetres converter: Pixels (px) – Inches (in) – DPI
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 or Pixels to Centimetres Converter to translate the dimensions into inches or centimetres. 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, colour 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 colour 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 colour. Just enter the height and width of your image in pixels into the Pixels to Centimetres or Inches Converter and click for the same dimensions in centimetres or inches. Or vice versa.
How to convert pixels to centimetres and centimetres to pixels?
Converting pixels to a different unit of measurement like centimetres isn’t exactly a straight path. That’s because pixels are digital points on a screen and centimetres are continuous physical length measurements. To do this conversion, you need to know the number of dots (pixels) contained within a certain length (centimetres).
The easiest method to calculate the conversion by yourself is by applying the following formula:
To convert it to centimetres, multiply the result by 2.54 (since 1 inch is approximately 2.54 centimetres).
And vice versa:
Think of it as a direct ratio: You begin with a digital image of a certain pixel count. As you increase or decrease the size at which it is displayed or printed, in centimetres, you also adjust the DPI, which in turn modifies the resolution. Therefore, getting your desired image quality at the size you want is just about mastering this ratio of the number of pixels to the size in centimetres.
Example
Let’s understand this with a practical scenario. Consider a typical UK passport photo, which the UK government specifies must measure 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm. If we want a good quality print, we might aim for a resolution of 300 DPI. Therefore, we’ll need a photo with pixel dimensions of around 413 x 531.
However, if you were to enlarge this to the size of an A4 paper (21 cm x 29.7 cm), the DPI would drop to about 50. At this lower resolution, the photo would appear blurry or pixelated. It’s a bit like spreading too little butter over too much bread – the result isn’t quite satisfying.
How to convert pixels to inches and inches to pixels?
The easiest way to calculate the conversion on your own is a simple equation:
Or, conversely:
Example
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, 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 colourful 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.
You might be creating a personalised birthday card for a friend, with a dimension of 14 cm x 14 cm. Furthermore, you decide that a resolution of 300 DPI will provide a quality image. To calculate the required pixel dimensions, convert centimetres to inches (14 cm is approximately 5.51 inches) and multiply by the DPI. Thus, you’d need an image of approximately 1,653 x 1,653 pixels for a well-defined printed picture.
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 show-piece 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 many pixels in one centimetre?
The number of pixels in one centimetre is not a fixed value, as it depends on the resolution or DPI (Dots Per Inch) value. However, if we use a standard resolution of 300 DPI (a common standard for high-quality printing), one centimetre would equate to approximately 118.11 pixels. Remember, this is because 1 inch equals 2.54 centimetres, and we are using a resolution of 300 dots (or pixels) per inch. Use our Pixels to Centimetres Converter to calculate it.
How big is an image, measuring 1080 x 1920 PX in inches?
At a low resolution of 72 PPI (Pixels Per Inch), the image would measure 11.25” x 20” or approximately 28.6 cm x 50.8 cm. At a high resolution of 300 PPI, the same image would measure 3.6” x 6.4” or approximately 9.1 cm x 16.3 cm. 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
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 centimetres?
To convert pixels to centimetres, you need to know the DPI (Dots Per Inch) of your image or screen. First, divide the pixel dimensions by the DPI to convert pixels to inches. Then multiply the result by 2.54 to convert inches to centimetres. For example, if an image is 1500 pixels wide at a DPI of 300, its width in inches would be 1500 ÷ 300 = 5 inches. Then convert inches to centimetres, 5 inches x 2.54 = 12.7 cm. Calculate with our Pixels to Centimetres Converter.
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.