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Convert pixels to inches, centimeters and millimeters

The DPI formula, a converter, and the pixel sizes of standard print pages

Divide the pixels by the DPI to get inches. At 300 DPI, the print resolution, a 2480px wide page is 8.27 inches, which is 21 centimeters or 210 millimeters, exactly A4. For centimeters multiply the inches by 2.54; for millimeters, by 25.4.

💡 Why the conversion matters before you design
  • A page laid out in pixels prints smaller than you expect: unless the DPI was checked first, and nothing fixes it afterwards.
  • No reprints: catching a wrong page size before the press run is the cheapest fix there is.
  • The same arithmetic works on images: it tells you whether a photo has enough pixels for the size you are placing it at.
  • Designers work in pixels, printers in millimeters: DPI is the number that connects the two.

DPI is the whole story: the same 2480 pixels are 34.4 inches at 72 DPI but 8.27 inches at 300. Nothing about the file changes, only the size it is meant to be reproduced at, which is why a page that looks right on screen can print far smaller than you expected.

The converter below does all four units at once.

The formula, and a worked example

  • Inches: pixels ÷ DPI. A 2480px page at 300 DPI is 2480 ÷ 300 = 8.27 inches.
  • Centimeters: inches × 2.54. So 8.27 × 2.54 = 21 cm.
  • Millimeters: inches × 25.4, or centimeters × 10. So 210 mm.
  • Going the other way: inches × DPI. An 8.27 inch A4 page at 300 DPI needs 8.27 × 300 = 2481 pixels.
👥 Which DPI to use
  • 72 DPI: the web-quality resolution, and the one to use for anything that will only be read on a screen. It is the safest for compatibility.
  • 300 DPI: what commercial printing expects. Size every page you intend to print at this, then see Download PDF for print for what that export does with bleeds and crop marks.

Standard page sizes in pixels

At 300 DPI, the sizes most print jobs ask for come out as:

  • A4: 8.27 × 11.69 in, 210 × 297 mm, 2480 × 3508 px
  • A5: 5.83 × 8.27 in, 148 × 210 mm, 1748 × 2480 px
  • US Letter: 8.5 × 11 in, 216 × 279 mm, 2550 × 3300 px
  • US Legal: 8.5 × 14 in, 216 × 356 mm, 2550 × 4200 px

At 72 DPI, the web-quality resolution, the same pages need roughly a quarter of those pixel counts.

Additional tips / FAQs

  • How many pixels is one inch? As many as the DPI says: 72 for a web export, 300 for print. There is no fixed answer, which is why the DPI has to be part of the question.
  • How do I convert pixels to centimeters? Divide by the DPI, then multiply by 2.54. At 300 DPI, 2480 px is 21 cm.
  • Is DPI the same as PPI? In practice, yes for this calculation. PPI describes pixels on a screen and DPI dots on paper, but both answer "how many per inch".
  • My image looks sharp on screen and blurry in print. Why? It has enough pixels for a screen and not for a press. Divide its width in pixels by the width in inches you are printing at: anything under 300 will look soft.
  • What size should I design a flipbook for? Match the final output: 300 DPI page dimensions if it will be printed, screen dimensions if it will only be read online. PDF format and size guidelines covers the detail.

Next steps

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