Photo Resolution & DPI Guide

Quick Answer For web: 72-96 PPI, 1080-2000 pixels wide. For prints: 300 DPI minimum. To calculate print size: pixels / DPI = inches (e.g., 3000px / 300 DPI = 10 inches). A 12MP phone photo (4000x3000) prints well at 13x10 inches. Below 200 DPI, prints look soft. Below 150 DPI, prints look pixelated.

Understanding Pixels and Resolution

A digital image is a grid of colored dots called pixels. Resolution is the number of pixels in each dimension: width x height. A 4000 x 3000 pixel image has 12 million pixels total, or 12 megapixels (MP). This is a standard smartphone photo resolution. More pixels = more detail. But more pixels also means larger file sizes and more processing power needed to edit. There's a point of diminishing returns where additional pixels don't add visible quality for your use case. Resolution has no inherent physical size. A 4000x3000 image can be printed at 4x3 inches (1000 DPI, extremely high) or 40x30 inches (100 DPI, low quality). The print size depends on how many pixels you spread across each inch.

Check your image resolution

Right-click > Properties (Windows) or Get Info (Mac) to see pixel dimensions.

Understand the relationship

Pixels are fixed. DPI determines how large those pixels print. More pixels = larger potential print.

Don't upscale for false resolution

Adding pixels in Photoshop doesn't add detail. Use AI upscaling if you need more resolution.

DPI vs PPI: What's the Difference?

PPI (Pixels Per Inch) is the correct term for digital images. It describes how many pixels are packed into each inch when displayed or printed. DPI (Dots Per Inch) technically refers to printer output. In practice, most people use DPI for both. 72 PPI was the standard for old monitors. Modern screens are 110-220 PPI (standard) to 400+ PPI (retina/high-DPI). Web images don't need DPI settings because browsers display based on pixel dimensions, not DPI metadata. 300 DPI is the standard for high-quality printing. At 300 DPI, individual pixels are invisible to the naked eye at normal viewing distance. This is the target for photo prints, magazines, and brochures. 150-200 DPI is acceptable for large prints viewed from a distance (posters, banners). At 3+ feet viewing distance, 150 DPI looks sharp. Billboard prints can be as low as 30-50 DPI because they're viewed from far away. The DPI setting in your image file is just metadata. Changing it doesn't add or remove pixels. It only changes the suggested print size. A 3000x2000 image at 300 DPI prints at 10x6.67 inches. The same image at 72 DPI prints at 41.7x27.8 inches. Same pixels, different sizes.

300 DPI for prints

Standard for photos, magazines, brochures. Individual pixels invisible at normal viewing distance.

72-96 PPI for web

Web browsers ignore DPI and use pixel dimensions. Optimize for pixel count, not DPI.

Lower DPI for large prints

150 DPI for posters. 100 DPI for large banners. Viewing distance determines acceptable DPI.

Print Size Calculator

To calculate maximum print size at 300 DPI: divide pixels by 300. 4000 x 3000 pixels (12MP phone) = 13.3 x 10 inches at 300 DPI. This covers standard photo prints up to 11x14 comfortably. 6000 x 4000 pixels (24MP camera) = 20 x 13.3 inches at 300 DPI. Covers prints up to 16x20. 8000 x 6000 pixels (48MP camera/phone) = 26.7 x 20 inches at 300 DPI. Covers prints up to 24x36. Common print sizes and minimum pixel requirements at 300 DPI: 4x6 inches: 1200 x 1800 pixels 5x7 inches: 1500 x 2100 pixels 8x10 inches: 2400 x 3000 pixels 11x14 inches: 3300 x 4200 pixels 16x20 inches: 4800 x 6000 pixels 24x36 inches: 7200 x 10800 pixels If your image falls short, AI upscaling can increase resolution while adding detail. Results are best when doubling resolution (2x). Larger increases produce diminishing returns.

Divide pixels by 300

Width pixels / 300 = max width in inches at photo quality. Same for height.

Check your print size

4x6 needs 1200x1800. 8x10 needs 2400x3000. 16x20 needs 4800x6000.

Upscale if needed

If your image is too small, AI upscaling can increase resolution. Works best at 2x magnification.

Resolution for Web and Social Media

Web images are measured in pixels, not DPI. Browsers display images at 1 pixel = 1 screen pixel (or 2:1 on retina/high-DPI screens). For websites: 1200-2000 pixels wide is standard for full-width images. Thumbnails: 300-600 pixels. This balances quality against page load speed. For social media (detailed in our platform-specific guides): Instagram feed: 1080 pixels wide. Instagram Stories: 1080x1920. Facebook: 1200 pixels wide. Twitter/X: 1200x675. LinkedIn: 1200x627. Larger images on the web don't look better; they just load slower. Upload at the platform's recommended size for the best quality after compression. Retina displays show 2x pixels in the same physical space. For truly crisp images on retina screens, upload at 2x the display size. But most platforms handle this automatically through responsive image serving.

Match platform requirements

Each platform has recommended pixel dimensions. Don't upload larger than needed.

1200-2000px for websites

Full-width web images at 1200-2000px. Thumbnails at 300-600px. Optimize file size.

Ignore DPI for web

Browsers use pixel dimensions, not DPI. A 1080px image displays the same whether marked 72 or 300 DPI.

AI Upscaling: Adding Resolution

Traditional upscaling (bicubic resampling in Photoshop) adds pixels but not detail. The image gets larger but blurrier. You can't create detail that doesn't exist. AI upscaling is different. Trained on millions of image pairs, AI models predict what additional detail should exist between existing pixels. They can sharpen edges, add texture detail, and reconstruct features that were lost at lower resolution. AI upscaling works best at 2x magnification (doubling dimensions). A 1000x1000 image can be upscaled to 2000x2000 with good results. 4x is possible but with diminishing returns. 8x+ produces artifacts. Use cases: printing photos from older phones, recovering detail from cropped images, and preparing low-resolution web images for print.

Try 2x upscaling first

Double the dimensions for the best quality-to-improvement ratio. AI adds realistic detail.

Check results at 100% zoom

AI upscaling can introduce artifacts. Zoom in and verify edges, textures, and faces look natural.

Use AI tools, not manual resize

'Upscale this photo to 2x resolution while enhancing details' produces better results than manual resizing.

How Many Megapixels Do You Need?

Megapixels matter less than most people think. After a certain point, more megapixels don't improve visible quality. 8-12 MP is sufficient for web, social media, and prints up to 11x14 inches. 20-24 MP covers professional needs: prints up to 20x30, significant cropping flexibility, and detailed inspection. 48-100+ MP is for specialized use: billboard printing, extreme cropping, and archival documentation. What matters more than megapixels: sensor size (larger sensors = less noise, better dynamic range), lens quality (sharp glass matters more than pixel count), and lighting (proper light trumps everything). A well-lit 12MP photo from a large sensor beats a dark, noisy 100MP photo from a tiny sensor.

12MP for most uses

Web, social media, and prints up to 11x14. This is what most phone cameras deliver.

24MP for professional

Large prints, heavy cropping, and professional-quality results. Standard for most cameras.

Lighting > megapixels

Good light with 12MP beats bad light with 100MP. Prioritize lighting over resolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

What DPI should I use for printing photos?

300 DPI for standard photo prints and publications. 150-200 DPI for large prints viewed from a distance (posters, banners). To calculate: pixels / 300 = inches. A 3000px image prints at 10 inches at 300 DPI.

Does DPI matter for web images?

No. Browsers display images based on pixel dimensions, not DPI metadata. A 1080px-wide image displays identically whether its DPI is set to 72 or 300. For web, focus on pixel dimensions and file size, not DPI.

Can I increase my photo's resolution?

AI upscaling can add resolution by predicting missing detail. 2x magnification produces good results. Traditional resizing just makes pixels bigger without adding detail. AI tools produce noticeably better results than manual upscaling.

How many megapixels do I need for a large print?

For a 16x20 print at 300 DPI: 4800x6000 = ~29MP. For 24x36 at 300 DPI: 7200x10800 = ~78MP. But large prints are viewed from farther away, so 200 DPI is often sufficient, reducing the requirement to ~19MP for 16x20.

Why does my high-resolution photo look blurry when printed?

Most likely: the image is sharp on screen but the print DPI is too low. Check: pixels / desired print inches. If the result is below 200, the print will look soft. Other causes: poor focus in the original, camera shake, or heavy compression.

What's the maximum print size from an iPhone photo?

iPhone 15 shoots at 48MP (8064x6048). At 300 DPI: 26.9 x 20.2 inches, enough for a 24x20 print. Older iPhones at 12MP (4032x3024): 13.4 x 10.1 inches, good up to 11x14.

How do I check my photo's resolution?

Windows: right-click > Properties > Details > Dimensions. Mac: select file > Get Info or open in Preview > Tools > Adjust Size. iPhone: open in Photos, swipe up for details.

Does cropping reduce quality?

Yes. Cropping removes pixels. A 4000x3000 image cropped to the center becomes 2000x1500, losing 75% of the pixels. This limits print size and can make web images less sharp. Shoot wider than needed to give yourself cropping flexibility.

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