Free tool
How many pixels does your print need?
Enter the finished print size and the file you have. You get the pixel count for each print standard, and the enlargement factor that closes the gap.
| Standard | Pixels needed | You need |
|---|---|---|
Press / photo lab 300 DPI · Held at reading distance | 7,200 × 10,800 px | About 4× (3.6× needed) |
Canvas / poster 150 DPI · Viewed from about a metre | 3,600 × 5,400 px | About 2× (1.8× needed) |
Banner / mural 100 DPI · Viewed from several metres | 2,400 × 3,600 px | About 2× (1.2× needed) |
Already have the file? DPI checker.
Questions, answered.
- Which DPI should I actually target?
- Viewing distance decides it. Something held in the hand wants 300 DPI. A canvas on a wall seen from a metre is fine at 150. A banner read from across a room is fine at 100. Targeting 300 for a mural wastes an enormous number of pixels.
- Why does the calculator round pixels up?
- Because a fractional pixel does not exist, and rounding down would leave the print marginally short of the standard you asked for.
- Does the aspect ratio have to match?
- The pixel counts are calculated per side, so if your print proportions differ from your image proportions you will crop. Check both numbers, not just the width.
- How does this help with repeats?
- Once you know the finished print size and DPI, you know how large each motif tile should be before you generate a seamless repeat for production.
Need a seamless repeat next?
SeamlessRepeat turns a motif into a production-ready tile. 3 watermarked trials on signup.