Print Size Calculator: Pixels, Resolution and Print Format

Find the largest print for an image, or check whether it has enough pixels for a format.

Width (px) Height (px) Resolution

Largest print at 300 ppi

50.8 × 33.9 cm

20 × 13.3 in

Image: 6,000 × 4,000 px (24 MP)

The same image at common resolutions

Resolution	cm	in
300 ppi	50.8 × 33.9 cm	20 × 13.3 in
240 ppi	63.5 × 42.3 cm	25 × 16.7 in
150 ppi	101.6 × 67.7 cm	40 × 26.7 in

Does the image fit a print format?

The image is scaled to cover the whole format, and what sticks out is cropped. The format is turned to the orientation of the image.

Print format

The image has enough pixels for 300 ppi.

Pixels needed: 4,961 × 3,508 px (17.4 MP)
Effective resolution: 342 ppi
Crop: 5.7 % of the image (width)

Format in the orientation of the image: 42 × 29.7 cm.

Pixels needed for common formats

At 300 ppi. Where the image is too small, the table shows its effective resolution.

Print format	cm	in	Pixels needed	Image
9 × 13 cm	9 × 13 cm	3.5 × 5.1 in	1,536 × 1,063 px	enough
10 × 15 cm	10 × 15 cm	3.9 × 5.9 in	1,772 × 1,182 px	enough
13 × 18 cm	13 × 18 cm	5.1 × 7.1 in	2,126 × 1,536 px	enough
15 × 20 cm	15 × 20 cm	5.9 × 7.9 in	2,363 × 1,772 px	enough
20 × 30 cm	20 × 30 cm	7.9 × 11.8 in	3,544 × 2,363 px	enough
30 × 45 cm	30 × 45 cm	11.8 × 17.7 in	5,315 × 3,544 px	enough
40 × 60 cm	40 × 60 cm	15.7 × 23.6 in	7,087 × 4,725 px	too small (254 ppi)
50 × 70 cm	50 × 70 cm	19.7 × 27.6 in	8,268 × 5,906 px	too small (203 ppi)
60 × 90 cm	60 × 90 cm	23.6 × 35.4 in	10,630 × 7,087 px	too small (169 ppi)
A6	10.5 × 14.8 cm	4.1 × 5.8 in	1,749 × 1,241 px	enough
A5	14.8 × 21 cm	5.8 × 8.3 in	2,481 × 1,749 px	enough
A4	21 × 29.7 cm	8.3 × 11.7 in	3,508 × 2,481 px	enough
A3	29.7 × 42 cm	11.7 × 16.5 in	4,961 × 3,508 px	enough
A2	42 × 59.4 cm	16.5 × 23.4 in	7,016 × 4,961 px	too small (242 ppi)
A1	59.4 × 84.1 cm	23.4 × 33.1 in	9,934 × 7,016 px	too small (171 ppi)
4 × 6 in	10.2 × 15.2 cm	4 × 6 in	1,800 × 1,200 px	enough
5 × 7 in	12.7 × 17.8 cm	5 × 7 in	2,100 × 1,500 px	enough
8 × 10 in	20.3 × 25.4 cm	8 × 10 in	3,000 × 2,400 px	enough
11 × 14 in	27.9 × 35.6 cm	11 × 14 in	4,200 × 3,300 px	enough
16 × 20 in	40.6 × 50.8 cm	16 × 20 in	6,000 × 4,800 px	too small (250 ppi)
20 × 24 in	50.8 × 61 cm	20 × 24 in	7,200 × 6,000 px	too small (200 ppi)
24 × 36 in	61 × 91.4 cm	24 × 36 in	10,800 × 7,200 px	too small (167 ppi)

How print size is calculated

Pixel dimensions, resolution and physical size are linked: physical size = pixel dimensions / resolution. A 6000 × 4000 px image at 300 ppi prints at 20 × 13.3 inches, which is 50.8 × 33.9 cm. One inch is exactly 2.54 cm.

size = pixels / ppi, pixels = size × ppi

Which resolution to choose

Adobe describes 300 ppi as the industry standard for high-quality prints and notes that lower resolutions can still work for large formats that are viewed from a distance. The calculator shows the result for 300, 240 and 150 ppi and for any value you enter. It does not decide which value is enough for a print.

Aspect ratio and crop

Print formats have their own aspect ratios. A 3:2 camera image fits 10 × 15 cm exactly, but for A4 (about 1.41:1) or 8 × 10 inches (1.25:1) part of the image is cropped on the long side. The tool shows how much.

Formats

Photo formats in cm (9 × 13 to 60 × 90), the paper sizes of the ISO 216 A series (A6 to A1) and US formats in inches (4 × 6 to 24 × 36). Every format is shown in both units.

FAQ

How do I calculate print size from pixels?

Divide the pixel dimensions by the resolution in ppi. 6000 px at 300 ppi gives 20 inches, or 50.8 cm.

How many pixels do I need for a print?

Multiply the size in inches by the resolution. A4 (8.27 × 11.69 inches) at 300 ppi needs about 2480 × 3508 pixels, which is 8.7 megapixels.

What is the difference between ppi and dpi?

ppi (pixels per inch) counts the pixels of an image per inch of print, dpi (dots per inch) counts the ink dots of a printer. This calculator uses ppi.

Can I print larger than the calculator shows?

Yes. The size shown is the largest print without spreading the pixels further apart. A larger print is possible at a lower resolution or after resampling the image, with fewer pixels per inch.

Why is part of my image cropped?

The aspect ratio of the image differs from the format. The image is scaled to cover the whole format and the excess is cut off. The alternative is a smaller print with borders.

How many pixels is an A4 print?

A4 is 21 × 29.7 cm (ISO 216). At 300 ppi that is about 2480 × 3508 pixels, at 150 ppi about 1240 × 1754 pixels.