Pixels to Inches Converter (DPI-based)
Convert between pixels and inches at a chosen DPI/PPI. Standard defaults for web (96 DPI) and print (300 DPI). Bidirectional.
Last updated: September 2026
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About this calculator
Pixels and inches are two different measures of image size that only relate via DPI (dots per inch) or PPI (pixels per inch — the same number, different names used interchangeably). The conversion is: inches = pixels / DPI, and pixels = inches × DPI.
Common DPI conventions: 72 DPI is legacy Mac display and old web design; 96 DPI is standard modern web (Windows default); 150 DPI is draft print; 300 DPI is the standard for photo printing and printing bureaus; 600 DPI is fine print, newspaper reproduction, and archival scans. HD phone displays are 400–500 PPI; Retina displays 220–330 PPI.
Why it matters: a 1 200 pixel image is 12.5 inches at 96 DPI (web) but only 4 inches at 300 DPI (photo print). Publishing a web-sized image in a magazine will look blurry because you're asking each printed inch to display more pixels than the image contains. Conversely, printing a 300 DPI file at low resolution wastes file size. Match the DPI to the destination.
How to use
Example — 1 200 px at 96 DPI to inches. 1 200 / 96 = 12.5 in. A typical laptop screen width shown on a browser page. In print at 300 DPI, that same 1 200 pixel image would only be 4 inches wide — insufficient for magazine print. Example — 8 inches at 300 DPI to pixels. 8 × 300 = 2 400 px. That is the minimum pixel width needed to print an 8-inch photo at photo-lab quality. A 24 MP DSLR sensor produces about 6 000 × 4 000 pixel images — plenty for a 20×13 inch photo-quality print.
Frequently asked questions
Are DPI and PPI the same thing?
Practically yes, historically no. DPI (dots per inch) originally referred to printer dots — how many ink drops per inch of paper. PPI (pixels per inch) is for digital images. Every consumer tool treats them interchangeably, which is fine for image sizing math. Only professional prepress uses the distinction strictly.
Why is web 96 DPI when old designs were 72?
72 DPI was the assumed pixel density of early Macintosh displays. Windows chose 96 DPI. As Windows-dominated the web, 96 became the CSS default (1 CSS inch = 96 CSS pixels). Modern high-DPI displays remap CSS pixels to physical pixels via device pixel ratio, so 96 remains the reference.
Can I print a 72 DPI image at photo-lab quality?
Only if it is very large in pixel dimensions. A 3 000 × 2 000 px image at 300 DPI prints at 10 × 6.67 in. The same image "at 72 DPI" is metadata only — 72 or 300 changes only the print-size metadata, not the pixel count. To physically print larger, you need more pixels.
What DPI do I need for a 24×36 poster?
For a 24×36 poster at 150 DPI (acceptable for viewing at 3+ ft distance) you need 3 600 × 5 400 px = 19 MP. For 300 DPI (close-viewing quality) you need 7 200 × 10 800 = 78 MP — beyond most cameras without stitching. Large-format prints are typically done at 150 DPI or use interpolation to make up the difference.