Good to know
What DPI do I need for printing?
The short answer
For anything people hold in their hands, such as business cards, flyers, brochures, and photo prints, aim for 300 pixels per inch at the size it will be printed. That is about as much detail as the eye can see at reading distance. Large pieces seen from further away, such as banners and signs, need much less.
DPI and PPI
DPI, dots per inch, is how finely a printer lays down ink. It belongs to the printer, and it is not something you set in your file.
PPI, pixels per inch, is how many pixels of your picture land in each inch of the finished piece. It belongs to your file, and it is what people almost always mean when they ask for "a 300 DPI file".
Why 300
A printed piece is usually read at about a foot away. From there, the eye can't pick out much finer detail than about 300 pixels in an inch, so more pixels add file size, not sharpness.
There is a printing reason too. A press prints a photograph as a pattern of tiny dots, often around 150 lines of dots per inch on coated paper. The long-standing rule is a picture with about twice that many pixels per inch, which is 300.
These are rules of thumb across the trade, not a specification for your job.
It depends on the size, not the number in the file
A picture's DPI setting means little on its own. What matters is how many pixels it has, spread across the size it will be printed.
Divide the width in pixels by the width of the print in inches. A photo 3000 pixels wide is 300 pixels per inch printed 10 inches wide, and only 150 printed 20 inches wide.
So a picture marked "72 DPI" can still print sharp at a small size, and one marked "300 DPI" can be too small for a large one.
How many pixels you need
At 300 pixels per inch, common sizes need these. If a picture runs to the edge of the piece, add the bleed: 1/8 inch on each side.
| Printed piece | Finished size | Pixels at 300 per inch |
|---|---|---|
| Business card | 3.5 x 2 in | 1050 x 600 |
| Business card with bleed | 3.75 x 2.25 in | 1125 x 675 |
| Postcard | 4 x 6 in | 1200 x 1800 |
| Photo print | 5 x 7 in | 1500 x 2100 |
| Photo print | 8 x 10 in | 2400 x 3000 |
| Letter flyer | 8.5 x 11 in | 2550 x 3300 |
| Tabloid poster | 11 x 17 in | 3300 x 5100 |
Will a phone photo print well?
Usually, yes. A 12-megapixel photo is about 4000 x 3000 pixels. At 300 pixels per inch that is a print of about 13 x 10 inches, more than enough for a flyer or a postcard.
Two things spoil it. Cropping in tightly throws pixels away. And a photo sent in a text message or saved from social media has usually been shrunk on the way. Use the original file.
What "72 DPI" really tells you
Pictures made for a website are often marked 72 or 96. The mark itself does no harm. The trouble is that such pictures are usually small: a logo 600 pixels wide is only 2 inches wide at 300 pixels per inch.
Typing a larger number into the resolution box does not add detail. The program either shrinks the print size to fit, or invents the missing pixels by guessing, and the print comes out soft.
Logos and lettering should be vector artwork instead. Vector has no pixels, so it prints sharp at any size.
When less is fine
A photograph at 200 to 250 pixels per inch often still looks good, especially on uncoated paper. Below about 150, it starts to look soft up close.
Big pieces seen from across a room, such as banners, banner stands, and signs, need far less: usually 100 to 150 pixels per inch at full size.
How to
Step by step
Questions
More about DPI
Don't see yours? Call 419.224.8747 and ask a person.
EXCELLENT4.9 from 58 Google reviews, rated 4.9 out of 5. Opens our Google Business profile in a new tabIs 300 DPI good for printing?
Yes. For anything held in the hand, 300 pixels per inch at the finished size is the standard. More than that makes the file bigger without looking sharper.
Is 72 DPI good enough for printing?
The number alone doesn't decide it. Check the picture's width in pixels against the width of the print. A picture marked 72 that came from a website is usually too small to print well.
Can I change a picture from 72 DPI to 300 DPI?
You can change the number, but it adds no detail. Either the print gets smaller to fit the same pixels, or the program makes up new pixels and the picture looks soft.
What DPI is best for printing photos?
300 pixels per inch at the size of the print. A photo at 200 to 250 often still looks good. For large photo prints, 150 is usually enough.
DPI for large printsWhat resolution does a business card need?
300 pixels per inch: 1050 x 600 pixels, or 1125 x 675 with the bleed. The logo and the lettering are best as vector artwork, which stays sharp at any size.
What DPI should a PDF be for printing?
The pictures inside it should be 300 pixels per inch at the size they are placed. Text and vector artwork stay sharp regardless. In Adobe programs, save with High Quality Print or Press Quality, not Smallest File Size, which shrinks the pictures.
Do I need 300 DPI for a banner?
No. A banner is seen from further away, so 100 to 150 pixels per inch at full size is usually plenty.
DPI for large printsCan you check my file before I order?
Yes. Send it and tell us the size you need. We'll look at it, and you'll see a proof before anything prints.
Not sure your picture is sharp enough?
Send it with the size you need. We'll check it, and you'll see a proof before anything prints.