Why Print Shops Need 300 DPI

When preparing images for professional printing, the resolution measured in Dots Per Inch (DPI) is very important in determining how good your printed image will look. Most commercial printing services ask for 300 DPI because this resolution is the best of both worlds for file size and quality when printed on standard sized media.

What is DPI and Why Is It Important

DPI simply means the number of dots that can fit within one inch of print. So, 300 DPI means that within one square inch of print there are 300 dots by 300 dots. This gives us 90,000 dots per square inch. When the dots are this close together, you won't be able to see them at the normal viewing distance for a business card or a brochure.

300 DPI vs 600 DPI

The choice between 300 and 600 DPI comes down to what you're printing and how close you'll be able to view it from:

• 300 DPI: The standard resolution for most business printing such as flyers, brochures, business cards, letterhead, etc. This resolution provides a great balance between file size and print quality and is what all of the standard print companies are accustomed to.
• 600 DPI:Used when the absolute finest detail is required such as photo prints that you're going to hold in your hand, or large format graphics and signs. This resolution will double your file size and generally not be noticeable on business cards or brochures.

When to Use Higher Resolution

While 300 DPI works well for almost every print need, you may want to increase it if you're printing very large formats like banners or signs that will be viewed from quite far away. Fine art prints are also usually printed with a higher resolution than 300 DPI, but for standard business cards, letterhead and marketing materials, 300 DPI remains the safe standard.

How Our 300 DPI Converter Works

This 300 DPI converter will ensure that your image file has the correct resolution for professional printing. Just upload your image to our 300 DPI converter and the service will do the work for you. The 300 DPI converter only changes the meta-data of the image, not the actual dimensions or number of pixels. The result is a 300 DPI image with your original image dimensions so it will be ready to use by any professional printer.

Supported Image Types

We support the upload and conversion of both JPG and PNG image file types. JPGs are recommended for photographs and complicated images where file size is a concern while PNGs work better for images with transparency, logos or graphics with sharp edges and defined areas.

Prepare Your Images For Professional Printing Today

This 300 DPI converter tool is designed to prepare your images correctly so that they can be printed professionally by commercial printing services. Though 300 DPI is the recommended and standard resolution for all print shops, always check with your specific print provider what their DPI requirements are.