DPI to PPI Converter and the Difference Explained

What is the difference between DPI and PPI?

PPI (pixels per inch) counts the pixels packed into one inch of a digital image or screen. DPI (dots per inch) counts the ink dots a printer sprays into one inch of paper. They're different physical things, yet for sizing a file, 1 PPI maps to 1 DPI.

That single sentence is what most pages get wrong. They'll tell you DPI and PPI are "the same," but they aren't. Pixels are made of light on a screen. Dots are made of ink on a sheet. A screen can't lay down ink, and a printer can't glow. The reason they convert one to one is purely a sizing convention: when you set resolution in Photoshop, GIMP, or Canva, the number you type controls how many of those units fit per inch, and the software uses the same field whether you call it DPI or PPI. So the conceptual gap is real even though the math is trivial. Hold onto that distinction and you won't fall for the common trap further down this page.

DPI to PPI and PPI to DPI chart

Because the values are equal for conversion, this chart reads the same in both directions. Find a number on the left and you've got both its DPI and its PPI, along with where each one earns its keep.

Reading it backward works too. If someone hands you a 300 PPI photo and asks for the DPI, it's 300. If a web export says 72 DPI, that's 72 PPI. The label flips with context, but you're never recalculating anything.

How do you convert DPI to PPI (and when it matters)

There's no formula to memorize, just a short routine that keeps you out of trouble. Here's how I'd walk through it every time.

1. Read the number you've got. Whether a spec says 300 DPI or 300 PPI, copy that exact value. It doesn't change in the conversion.
2. Use it as-is in your editor. Type the same number into the resolution field. A 300 DPI requirement becomes 300 PPI in the document settings, no math required.
3. Check the context before you trust a big number. If the figure came off a printer's spec sheet (say 1200 or 2400), that's hardware DPI, not your image resolution. Don't paste it in.
4. Set the file, then let the printer do its job. Keep photos at 300 PPI. The press fires its own dot pattern on top, so you never set 1200 yourself.

Where does this actually bite? At the printer. Hardware lays several tiny ink dots for every image pixel, so a 300 PPI photo can output at 1200 or even 2400 DPI on the press. You'd set the file at 300 PPI and the machine handles its own density. The one moment people slip is when they read "2400 DPI" off a printer box, type it in as the image resolution, and end up with a gigantic file nobody needed. It won't print any sharper, it'll just choke your editor and your hard drive.

DPI for print vs PPI for screen

Same number, different job. This table lines up where each label lives so you can see why mixing them causes grief. For the full breakdown of which value to pick per project, see our guide on what DPI to use.

The takeaway: PPI is the number you control on screen and in your file. DPI is mostly the printer's business. They share a value at the sizing step, but they don't share a job, and that's the part the conflating pages skip.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between DPI and PPI?

PPI (pixels per inch) describes the pixels in a digital image or on a screen. DPI (dots per inch) describes the ink dots a printer lays on paper. They measure different things, but for sizing a file they convert one to one.

How do you convert DPI to PPI?

You don't do any math. For sizing, DPI and PPI are numerically equal, so 300 DPI maps to 300 PPI. The number you type stays the same whichever label your software shows.

Why does the difference matter?

It matters at the print stage. A printer can lay many ink dots per image pixel, so a 300 PPI file might print at 1200 to 2400 DPI on the hardware. Set your file at 300 PPI and let the printer handle its own DPI.

Is 72 PPI the same as 72 DPI?

Numerically yes, 72 PPI equals 72 DPI for conversions. 72 is the old web baseline, modern screens sit around 96, and print uses 300. The unit label changes with context, but the value doesn't.

What about ppi to dpi for a printer spec?

If you see a printer rated at 1200 or 2400 DPI, that's the hardware's dot density, not your image resolution. Don't type it into your file. Keep your image at 300 PPI and the printer converts it for you.