Printing a photo or analogy seems similar information technology should exist equally easy as printing anything else, but it isn't. Set the DPI incorrectly, and you'll end upwardly with glossy photos that are blurry and low quality, or a poster that prints no larger than a stamp postage stamp.

If you lot're a designer or lensman, or just want to make sure your vacation shots impress without bug, you need to empathise what DPI is, and how to alter your impress resolution. In this article, we explain everything you demand to know about DPI and how to change the DPI of an image.

What Is DPI and What Does 300 DPI Hateful?

DPI stands for "dots-per-inch," and is a specification for printing and for setting the print resolution of an epitome.

A impress is fabricated from millions of tiny dots of ink. The DPI setting determines how many dots the printer drops onto every foursquare inch of the prototype—300 dpi ways 300 dots of ink, while 150 dpi is half as much.

Yous demand to understand how DPI works because it controls the ii most important things in printing:

  1. The quality of your print. In simple terms, a higher DPI means a college quality impress. Nearly good abode printers can output at 300 dpi, which is the recommended minimum for high-quality press, and professional printers much college.
  2. The size of your print. A pixel in a digital image is equivalent to a dot in a print. So, if you lot print an 1800 pixel broad image at 300 dots-per-inch, the printed paradigm volition be six inches wide. Print the same image at 180 dpi and it will exist 10 inches wide. It's basic math—merely divide the number of pixels past the DPI.

How DPI Affects Your Prints

Hither'southward an paradigm to illustrate. Below are 2 lines that consist of the aforementioned 40 blocks—the same size and same colour. The blocks are less tightly packed on the top line, equating to a lower DPI; and more tightly packed on the bottom line for a higher DPI.

what is dpi

The result is articulate. On the Lower DPI line, the slope is a lot less smooth. Yous can see clear edges against each of the blocks. The line is also a lot longer.

On the Higher DPI line, the gradient is much smoother. Information technology's most seamless. The line is too a lot shorter.

This demonstrates the balancing human activity y'all frequently need to make when setting the print resolution: size versus quality. A lower DPI image prints larger, but at a lower quality. If yous're working with low res images, and so you lot'll have to brand a trade-off between the 2.

Where possible, yous should always save your work in as high a resolution as you tin can. Because resizing your image to make it larger won't meliorate the print quality.

What DPI Should Y'all Use?

All this begs the question: What is the all-time DPI to print at?

The standard dominion is that you lot should aim for a 300 dpi image. This is peachy quality for photographs, and it'south questionable how much actress detail the homo eye can even discern beyond that level.

But if your image is besides small to print at 300 dpi, don't worry. The intended viewing distance of the print plays a large office in what resolution y'all need.

For images you lot'll concord in your easily, similar photos, leaflets, or magazines, 300 dpi or higher is the target, but 250 will do at a push.

With posters or pictures that you lot're going to frame, y'all tin get away with a lower resolution because y'all'll mostly be looking at them from a few feet away. 200 dpi should be okay, or fifty-fifty a piffling lower. This also applies when you're printing on different materials, like canvas.

And this continues. The further abroad you intend to look at your prototype, the lower y'all can gear up the resolution. A billboard affiche designed to be seen from across the street might exist printed at as low as 20 dots per inch.

It's also important to note that these rules merely utilize to photos and raster images. If you're doing graphic design piece of work with vector images, then you can resize them as much every bit you like without whatsoever loss of quality.

How to Cheque the DPI of an Image

To find out an paradigm's DPI in Windows, correct-click on the file name and select Properties > Details. You lot'll see the DPI in the Image section, labeled Horizontal Resolution and Vertical Resolution.

how to check dpi

On a Mac, you demand to open the image in Preview and select Tools > Adjust Size. Information technology's labeled Resolution.

How to Change the DPI of an Image: three Ways

You lot tin change an prototype's DPI in nigh graphics packages, including the all-time upkeep blueprint apps. You can even do information technology in Preview on a Mac, but we'll take a look at iii solutions that will have you covered on whatsoever platform.

Remember that DPI is only a measurement of print resolution. Irresolute the DPI does not change the size of your digital paradigm or the size of the file.

If yous're working with an image you recollect you'll need to print, information technology'south a practiced idea to set your target print resolution before you lot resize it. That volition help to ensure you don't arrive also small to print safely at your preferred size.

How to Modify the DPI in Photoshop

To change an epitome's DPI in Photoshop, go to Image > Epitome Size. Uncheck Resample Image, because this setting volition upscale your image, which will make information technology lower quality.

change dpi photoshop

Now, next to Resolution, type in your preferred resolution, set equally Pixels/Inch. Notice how the Width and Meridian figures change, likewise. This shows you the size your image will print.

You tin can, of class, specify the width and superlative instead, in inches or centimeters. If y'all practise this, merely make sure your DPI doesn't drop also depression to degrade the quality. That can happen if your image is small.

How to Change the DPI In GIMP

To change the DPI of an epitome in GIMP, go to Image > Impress Size. Enter your preferred DPI next to X Resolution, gear up in pixels/in. The Y Resolution should update automatically, too.

change dpi gimp

Like in Photoshop, you lot tin can prepare the concrete width and height instead. Once more, make sure the DPI doesn't drop too low when you practice this.

How to Change the DPI Online for Free

If you lot're in a pinch and you don't accept your graphics programme of choice to paw, you lot can always alter the DPI of an image with Convert Town'due south DPI-changing web app for gratis online.

convert town change dpi online

All you have to do is input the DPI y'all need the prototype changed to (common resolutions like 300 dpi are available as handy presets), elevate-and-drop the file to upload it, and wait. When it's washed converting, it should automatically download your updated image to your default download folder.

Get Better Photograph Prints

Agreement the pregnant of DPI is and then important when y'all're printing. It's so easy to ruin entire projects because you're working at likewise low a resolution or to get bad prints because you're printing them larger than they can handle.

But this is only the kickoff step in printing—in that location'southward a lot more you lot need to know to get the perfect print.