Question 1

How do I check the DPI of an image?

Accepted Answer

Open it in this checker. It reads the resolution stored in the file — the JFIF or EXIF header in a JPEG, the pHYs chunk in a PNG — and shows it next to the pixel dimensions. On Windows you can also right-click > Properties > Details, and on a Mac open it in Preview and choose Tools > Show Inspector.

Question 2

Is resolution the same as DPI?

Accepted Answer

No. Resolution is the number of pixels, such as 3000 × 2000. DPI is a separate number stored in the file that tells a printer how many of those pixels to fit into one inch. The same 3000 × 2000 photo prints 10 inches wide at 300 DPI and 20 inches wide at 150 DPI, with no change to the image itself.

Question 3

What is 300 DPI in pixels?

Accepted Answer

300 pixels for every inch of print. A 4 × 6 inch photo needs 1200 × 1800 pixels, an 8 × 10 needs 2400 × 3000, and a US Letter page (8.5 × 11) needs 2550 × 3300.

Question 4

My image says 72 DPI. Is it low resolution?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily. 72 is simply the default most software writes. What matters is the pixel count: a 4000 × 3000 photo tagged 72 DPI still prints a sharp 13 × 10 inches at 300 DPI. The checker shows the real print size at 300 DPI regardless of the tag.

Question 5

Why does my image have no DPI?

Accepted Answer

Many files do not store one. Screenshots, WebP images and images saved from websites usually leave it out, and programs then assume 72 or 96. You can add a DPI tag without touching the pixels using the change-DPI tool.

Print	Pixels at 300 DPI	Pixels at 150 DPI
4 × 6 in	1200 × 1800	600 × 900
5 × 7 in	1500 × 2100	750 × 1050
8 × 10 in	2400 × 3000	1200 × 1500
US Letter 8.5 × 11 in	2550 × 3300	1275 × 1650
A4 210 × 297 mm	2480 × 3508	1240 × 1754
11 × 14 in	3300 × 4200	1650 × 2100

Check Image DPI & Resolution

DPI vs resolution in one paragraph

How many pixels you need at 300 DPI

Where the DPI number lives

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