DPI / PPI Checker
See whether an image file stores a DPI value, and what it is, alongside its pixel dimensions. Then calculate the PPI for any print size.
Runs in your browser. Your data is not uploaded.How our tools work
No image to hand? (CC0)
PPI calculator
Calculated from pixels and a print size. This is separate from any value stored in the file.
How do I check the DPI of an image?
Select an image and the checker reads the DPI value stored in the file, if there is one, next to the pixel dimensions. Many files store none, and then it says so instead of guessing. To plan a print, divide the pixels by the print size in inches: 3000 pixels across 10 inches is 300 PPI.
- Select or drop a JPG, PNG, WebP or BMP image.
- See the pixel dimensions and any resolution the file stores. If it stores none, you’ll see “Not found”.
- To work out the PPI for a print, enter the pixels and the print size in inches or centimetres in the PPI calculator.
Confused by DPI vs PPI, or by a form that asks for 300 DPI? Read our guide: How to Check Image DPI and PPI, and What They Mean
Formulas & Methods
PPI for a print size
Example: 3000 px ÷ 10 in = 300 PPI
Print size at a PPI
Example: 3000 px ÷ 300 PPI = 10 in (25.4 cm)
Key features
Both values when they differ
Some JPGs store one DPI in JFIF and another in EXIF. Both are shown, because programs differ in which they read.
PPI calculator
Calculate the PPI for any print size, in inches or centimetres, and see the print size at 72, 150 and 300 PPI.
Supported formats and limits
- Reads
- JPG (JFIF and EXIF), PNG (pHYs), WebP (EXIF chunk), BMP (header)
- Not read
- GIF (has no resolution field), AVIF and HEIC
DPI, PPI and pixels
Pixels are what an image is made of: a 3000 × 2000 photo has the same detail whatever DPI it claims. PPI (pixels per inch) describes how densely those pixels are printed or shown. DPI (dots per inch) strictly describes a printer’s ink dots, but image files and most programs use “DPI” for the same stored value.
The stored value is just a print setting. Changing it from 72 to 300 doesn’t add detail; it only makes the default print size smaller. For a sharp print, you need enough pixels: about 300 PPI for photos viewed up close, less for posters seen from a distance.
A file can even store two different values. The 4032 × 3024 photo used for the measured examples on this site says 300 DPI in its JFIF data and 72 DPI in its EXIF data, and the checker lists both, because programs differ in which one they use. Either way it has the same pixels: about 13.4 × 10.1 inches at 300 PPI.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my image show “DPI metadata not found”?
The file doesn’t store a resolution. That’s normal for screenshots and images saved for the web. Only the pixel dimensions matter for quality.
Is 72 DPI bad quality?
Not by itself. 72 is a common default tag, and phone cameras often write it; it says nothing about detail. What matters is the number of pixels for the size you print.
How many pixels do I need to print at 300 DPI?
Multiply the print size in inches by 300. A 6 × 4 inch photo needs 1800 × 1200 pixels; an A4 page (8.27 × 11.69 in) needs about 2480 × 3508.
Can this tool change an image’s DPI?
No, it only reads it. Resaving an image in a converter or compressor usually removes the stored value, which printers then treat as their default.
Sources
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Related guides & tutorials
How to Check Image DPI and PPI, and What They Mean
Check an image’s DPI on any device, understand DPI vs PPI, and work out how many pixels you need to print at 300 PPI, with a table of print sizes.
Image Metadata Explained: EXIF, Dimensions, Camera Data and Privacy
What image metadata is, how EXIF, XMP and IPTC differ, where each format stores them, why photos lose or change metadata, and what metadata can and can’t prove.