Photo Print Quality (PPI)

Will your photo print sharply at this size?

Image width (px)

Image height (px)

Print width (in)

Print height (in)

PPI at this size

300

Magazine quality

12.0 megapixels

PPI at standard print sizes

4×6 print500 PPIMagazine quality

5×7 print429 PPIMagazine quality

8×10 print300 PPIMagazine quality

11×14 print214 PPIGood

16×20 poster150 PPIAcceptable for casual viewing

24×36 poster83 PPIPixelated even at distance

300 PPI is the photographic standard, the same as offset printing. 240 looks identical at normal viewing distance. Posters get away with 150 because you don't view them from 6 inches away. The "viewing distance rule" says PPI can drop linearly with distance: 100 PPI is fine on a 16×20 hung 6 feet away.

About

Enter your image dimensions in pixels and the print size in inches. Get the PPI you'll actually achieve and a quality tier (magazine, photographic, acceptable, pixelated). Includes a comparison across standard print sizes.

How to use

Enter pixel dimensions.
Enter print size.
Read PPI.

FAQ

Why is 300 PPI the standard?+

It matches offset press resolution and is sharper than the human eye can resolve at typical reading distance. For posters viewed from across a room, 150 PPI is plenty.