What is an inch (in)?

An inch (symbol: in or ") is a unit of length in the imperial and US customary systems, equal to exactly 25.4 millimeters. There are 12 inches in a foot and 36 inches in a yard.

The inch has been used as a unit of measurement for centuries and remains widely used in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In digital design and screen measurements, inches are the standard physical unit used to describe dimensions.

Inches are commonly used to measure screen sizes (diagonal measurement), print dimensions, and physical object sizes. In web and graphic design, understanding how inches translate to pixels is essential for creating content that displays correctly across different devices and resolutions.

What are pixels (px)?

A pixel (picture element) is the smallest controllable element of a digital image or display. It's the basic unit used in digital imaging, computer screens, and digital photography.

The term 'pixel' was first published in 1965, combining 'picture' and 'element'. With the development of digital technology, pixels have become the fundamental unit for displaying images on all digital screens, from smartphones to large monitors.

Pixels are essential in web design, graphic design, photography, and video. Screen resolutions like 1920×1080 (Full HD) or 3840×2160 (4K) indicate the number of pixels horizontally and vertically. The same physical size in inches will contain more pixels on a higher DPI display, resulting in sharper images.

How do you convert inches (in) to pixels (px)?

Understanding the Conversion

Converting inches to pixels requires knowing the DPI (Dots Per Inch) or PPI (Pixels Per Inch) of the display or output device. DPI measures how many pixels fit into one linear inch.

The Conversion Formula

To convert inches to pixels, use the following formula:
Pixels = Inches × DPI

This simple formula multiplies the number of inches by the dots per inch to get the pixel count.

Step-by-Step Process

• Determine the measurement in inches
• Find the DPI/PPI of your display or output (96 for Windows default, 72 for Mac default, 300 for print)
• Multiply the inch value by the DPI
• The result is your pixel count

Examples at 96 DPI (Windows Standard)

• 1 inch to pixels:
  1 × 96 = 96 px
• 2 inches to pixels:
  2 × 96 = 192 px
• 5 inches to pixels:
  5 × 96 = 480 px
• 10 inches to pixels:
  10 × 96 = 960 px

Examples at 72 DPI (Mac Standard)

• 1 inch to pixels:
  1 × 72 = 72 px
• 2 inches to pixels:
  2 × 72 = 144 px
• 5 inches to pixels:
  5 × 72 = 360 px
• 10 inches to pixels:
  10 × 72 = 720 px

Common DPI Values

Different devices and purposes use different DPI values:

• Classic Mac: 72 DPI
• Windows screens: 96 DPI (standard)
• High Resolution screens: 120 DPI
• iPhone 3G/3GS: 163 DPI
• iPad Retina: 264 DPI
• iPhone Retina (6/7/8/X/11/12/13): 326 DPI
• iPhone Pro Max (14/15 Pro Max): 458 DPI
• Print (standard): 300 DPI
• Print (high quality): 600+ DPI

For web design, 96 DPI is the most common reference, while print design typically uses 300 DPI. When designing for print, 1 inch at 300 DPI equals 300 pixels, ensuring high-quality output. Modern smartphones use much higher DPI values (326-458), so the same inch measurement contains many more pixels.

Inch to Pixel Conversion Table

The conversion of inches to pixels for common inch values at different DPI settings: