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Choose the size. Check the detail.

Effective PPI Calculator

Check image pixel density at a specific print size. Compare crop and fit PPI, review each axis, and spot a mismatch before printing.

Check effective resolution at a chosen print size. No upload needed.

Placement

EFFECTIVE IMAGE RESOLUTION
Fewer pixels per inchMore pixels per inch

PPI alone cannot guarantee a good print. Detail, viewing distance, paper, and printing method also matter.

HOW IT WORKS

01

Enter the available image width and height in pixels.

02

Enter the intended physical width and height, with units, and choose crop or fit.

03

Review the effective PPI for that placement and the separate width and height values.

Work backward from your frame

Effective PPI is the number of source pixels assigned to an inch of printed image. A 2,400 × 3,000 portrait at 8 × 10 inches has 300 pixels per inch on both axes. At 12 × 15 inches, it has 200 PPI on each axis.

The width calculation is pixel width divided by width in inches; the height calculation uses height. Different values indicate a shape mismatch. Crop uses the lower density to fill the target without stretching. Fit uses the higher density because the whole image occupies a smaller area with borders.

Use the pixels that actually remain

A calculation based on the original dimensions can overstate the detail available after cropping. If you remove half the image width, use the retained pixel width when checking the cropped picture.

Do not confuse effective image PPI with your printer’s advertised DPI. A printer may use multiple dots to reproduce a pixel’s color. Higher printer DPI does not replace missing source pixels, and a PPI result alone cannot assess focus, motion blur, or color.

A FEW HELPFUL ANSWERS

Before you get started.

Why are width PPI and height PPI different?

They compare each source axis with the full target rectangle. When the shapes differ, those values cannot both describe a proportional placement. Use the effective PPI for your selected crop or fit mode; the calculator does not stretch the image.

What PPI is good enough?

Ask the print provider. 300 PPI is often used as a planning reference for close-viewed photo prints, but the appropriate target depends on the image, output process, print size, and viewing distance.

Does this change my image?

No. It calculates density from the numbers you enter. Use Print prep to preview a crop or fit and create an output file.

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