How to Use the DPI Calculator
Pick a calculation
Pixels for a print size, the largest size for an image, or the real resolution of an image you already have.
Enter your values
Type the label size in inches, centimetres or millimetres, the image size in pixels, or both, and the resolution.
Read the result
See the pixels or size at your resolution and at 150, 300 and 600 DPI, then copy the numbers for your design app or printer.
The DPI Formula
DPI (dots per inch) is how many pixels are printed along each inch of the label. Every calculation here is the same formula, rearranged:
Pixels = inches × DPI
Inches = pixels ÷ DPI
DPI = pixels ÷ inches
Inches = millimetres ÷ 25.4
| Label size | Pixels at 300 DPI | At 150 DPI | At 600 DPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 × 1 in | 600 × 300 px | 300 × 150 px | 1200 × 600 px |
| 3 × 2 in | 900 × 600 px | 450 × 300 px | 1800 × 1200 px |
| 4 × 3 in | 1200 × 900 px | 600 × 450 px | 2400 × 1800 px |
| 4 × 6 in | 1200 × 1800 px | 600 × 900 px | 2400 × 3600 px |
In metric, a 100 × 70 mm label needs 1181 × 827 px at 300 DPI. Pixel counts are rounded to whole pixels.
What Resolution Does a Label Need?
300 DPI at the final printed size is a common request from print shops and a safe target for labels that are read up close. Lower resolutions can look acceptable on large prints seen from a distance, while small text and fine lines benefit from more. The resolution guide in the results is a rule of thumb; your printer's specifications come first.
- Text, logos and barcodes: keep them as vector graphics (SVG, PDF, AI or EPS) when you can. Vectors have no pixels, so they stay sharp at any size.
- Photos and textures: these are pixel images, so size them for the final print size, including any bleed.
- Thermal label printers: they are often 203 or 300 dpi. Setting your artwork to your printer's own resolution avoids an extra resize when it prints.
Checking an Image You Already Have
The DPI number stored in an image file doesn't decide print quality; the number of pixels and the size you print do. A 1200 × 800 px image printed at 3 × 2 in has 400 DPI. Printed at 6 × 4 in, the same image has only 200 DPI.
If the width and the height give different results, the image and the label have different proportions. When it's placed, the image will be cropped or stretched, so crop it to the label's proportions first.
Scaling a small image up in an editor adds pixels but not detail. If an image falls short of your target, use a larger original or print it smaller.
Don't Forget the Bleed
If your label has bleed, your image must cover it too. A 3 × 2 in label with 1/8 in bleed is a 3.25 × 2.25 in file, which is 975 × 675 px at 300 DPI. Enter the bleed in the Pixels for a print size calculator, or use the Label Bleed Calculator to also get a template with the cut line and safe area.