Change the DPI of an image
A form or a printer wants 300 DPI and your file says 72. Add the image, pick the new value, and download a copy with the DPI changed and the picture left exactly as it was.
- Runs in your browser
- Nothing is uploaded
- No sign-up
- Batch up to 20 images
Drag & drop your image here
or tap to browse · you can also paste from the clipboard
JPG · PNG · WebP · GIF · BMP · AVIF · SVG · up to 50 MB each · up to 20 files
Choose imagesBefore
After
Processed image will appear here.
How to use the DPI converter
Add a JPG or PNG and choose the DPI you need. The resolution value in the file is rewritten and everything else is copied unchanged, so the picture keeps its pixels and its quality. Choose Resample pixels only if you want the pixel size to change as well.
- Add your imagesJPG and PNG are changed in place. Other formats are saved as JPG or PNG first.
- Pick the new DPI300, 200 and 600 are in the list, or choose Other and type any value up to 2400.
- DownloadThe result shows the old value, the new one and the print size it gives.
About this tool
DPI is a number written in the header of an image file. It tells print and layout software how large to make the picture on paper: the same 1200 × 1800 pixels are a 4 × 6 inch print at 300 DPI and a 16.7 × 25 inch poster at 72 DPI. Changing the number does not touch a single pixel, which is why it can be done with no loss of quality.
Many converters change the DPI by opening the picture and saving it again, which re-compresses a JPG for no reason. This one rewrites the value where it is stored and copies everything else in the file byte for byte, including EXIF data. If you do want more pixels, the Resample option scales the picture so it keeps its print size at the new DPI.
What you get
- Rewrites the DPI value without re-encoding JPG or PNG files
- Presets for 72, 96, 150, 200, 300 and 600 DPI, or any value
- Updates every copy of the value in the file so they agree
- Optional resampling to keep the print size
- Batch up to 20 files with ZIP download
When to use the DPI converter
A form that demands 200 or 300 DPI
Upload checks that read the DPI from the file reject a 72 or 96 DPI image even when its pixel size is right. Changing the value fixes that.
Sending artwork to a printer
Print shops ask for 300 DPI files. If the pixel count is already enough for the print size, only the recorded value needs to change.
Placing images in a document
Word processors and layout programs use the DPI to decide how large a placed image appears. A 72 DPI photo arrives about four times too wide; at 300 DPI it lands at its print size.
A file whose values disagree
A JPG edited by several programs can end up with one DPI in its JFIF header and another in its EXIF data. Writing one value to both ends the confusion.
Which DPI to choose
| DPI | Typical use | Print size of a 3000 × 2000 pixel image |
|---|---|---|
| 72 | Old screen convention, and the default many programs assume | 41.67 × 27.78 in |
| 96 | Windows screen convention | 31.25 × 20.83 in |
| 150 | Posters and draft prints | 20 × 13.33 in |
| 200 | Scans and photos for application forms | 15 × 10 in |
| 300 | Standard for photo and commercial printing | 10 × 6.67 in |
| 600 | Line art, fine text and archive scans | 5 × 3.33 in |
How it works
A JPG records resolution in up to three places: a density field in the JFIF header at the start of the file, the XResolution and YResolution tags in its EXIF block, and a copy that Photoshop keeps in its own data. Each is a few bytes long. This tool overwrites those bytes with the new value and copies every other byte of the file through unchanged, so the compressed image data is identical before and after. A file that has no resolution field gets a JFIF header added, which makes it 18 bytes longer. The rare JPG that cannot take one safely is saved again instead, and the result says so. A PNG stores the value in its pHYs chunk as pixels per metre, so 300 DPI is written as 11,811 pixels per metre, which is 299.9994 DPI and is displayed as 300.
Resample pixels is a different operation. It multiplies the pixel dimensions by the new DPI divided by the old one, so an image going from 72 to 300 DPI gets 4.17 times as many pixels along each side and keeps its print size. The new pixels are worked out from the existing ones. That makes the file meet a pixel requirement, but it cannot add detail, and the picture is re-encoded at the quality you set. If the file records no resolution, the starting value you enter is used, 72 by default.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The printer still says the image is low resolution
- They are judging the pixel count against the print size, not the label. Check the print size in the result: if it is smaller than the print you ordered, the image needs more pixels. Resampling will satisfy an automatic check, but only a larger original improves the print.
- Resampling stops with a size error
- Going from 72 to 300 DPI multiplies the pixel count by about 17, which takes a large photo past what a browser can hold. Use "DPI value only", or resample to a lower DPI.
- My WebP or GIF came back as a JPG
- Those formats have no resolution field of their own, so the picture is saved as JPG, or PNG if you choose it, with the value recorded. JPG and PNG files keep their format and are not re-encoded.
- The file size changed slightly
- A JPG with no resolution field gains an 18-byte header, and a PNG without one gains a 21-byte chunk. Nothing else differs. A large change in size means the picture was re-encoded, which the result panel reports.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change an image to 300 DPI?
Add it above. 300 DPI is already selected, so the download is ready straight away. The file's pixel size and quality are unchanged; only the resolution value recorded in it is new.
Does changing the DPI change the quality of my image?
Not with the default setting. The DPI value is a label, and rewriting it leaves the image data untouched. Quality changes only if you choose Resample pixels, because that builds a new picture with a different number of pixels.
Will a 300 DPI file print better than a 72 DPI one?
Only if it has more pixels. Two files with the same pixels and different DPI values hold the same picture; the value just changes the size it is printed at. To print sharply you need enough pixels for the paper size: about 300 for every inch.
Why does my image still show 72 or 96 DPI in some programs?
A few programs ignore the value in the file and show their own default. Check with the Image DPI Checker, which reads the file directly. If it reports the new value, the file is correct.
Can I convert 72 DPI to 300 DPI without losing quality?
Yes. With "DPI value only" the 72 becomes 300 and the image data is not touched, so there is nothing to lose. The picture will print smaller, because the same pixels are now packed 300 to the inch.
Does it keep my EXIF data?
Yes, when the file is changed in place, which is the default for JPG and PNG. Camera details, dates and location all stay; only the resolution tags are rewritten. Resampling builds a new image, and that removes metadata.
Is DPI the same as image quality?
No. Quality comes from the number of pixels and how hard they were compressed. DPI is a single number that tells a printer how closely to pack those pixels on paper.