How-to
How to Convert Pixels to Inches (and Inches to Pixels)
The simple formula for converting pixels to inches using DPI, a ready-made chart for print sizes, and how many pixels you need for a sharp 4×6, 8×10 or poster print.
· 2 min read · ConvertPixels Team
Pixels are how digital images are measured; inches are how prints are measured. The link between them is DPI (dots per inch) - or PPI, pixels per inch, which means the same thing for this purpose.
The formula
inches = pixels ÷ DPI
pixels = inches × DPI
So a photo that's 3000 pixels wide, printed at 300 DPI, is 3000 ÷ 300 = 10 inches wide.
Which DPI to use
| DPI | Use |
|---|---|
| 300 | Photo prints, magazines, anything viewed up close |
| 200-240 | Good-quality prints viewed at arm's length |
| 150 | Posters and large prints viewed from a distance |
| 72-96 | Screens only - don't use for print |
Pixels needed for common print sizes (300 DPI)
| Print size (inches) | Pixels needed |
|---|---|
| 2 × 2 (passport) | 600 × 600 |
| 4 × 6 | 1200 × 1800 |
| 5 × 7 | 1500 × 2100 |
| 8 × 10 | 2400 × 3000 |
| 11 × 14 | 3300 × 4200 |
| 16 × 20 | 4800 × 6000 |
A modern 12-megapixel phone photo (4032 × 3024) prints sharply up to about 13 × 10 inches at 300 DPI, and looks fine much larger on a wall.
Converting inches to pixels for a design
Making a 5 × 7 inch card at 300 DPI? Create or resize your image to 1500 × 2100 pixels. If the proportions don't match, crop to a 5:7 ratio first so nothing is stretched.
When you don't have enough pixels
If your photo is smaller than the table suggests, the print will look soft. You can:
- Print smaller, or accept a lower DPI for a print viewed from further away.
- Enlarge it with the AI Image Upscaler, which adds detail at 2× or 4× instead of just stretching pixels.
Pixels to centimeters and millimeters
Use the same formula, then convert: cm = pixels ÷ DPI × 2.54. At 300 DPI, 1000 pixels is 3.33 inches, or 8.47 cm.
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