--- title: "DPI Checker: Check Image DPI and Print Size" description: "Free DPI checker: drop a PNG, JPEG or WebP to see its stored DPI, pixel size and how large it prints sharp at 300 DPI. Your file never leaves your browser." url: https://podly.co/tools/dpi-checker/ --- [Free tools](https://podly.co/tools/) [Design & print](https://podly.co/tools/#design-and-print) # DPI checker for print-ready images This DPI checker reads the DPI saved in your image, its pixel size and how large it can print sharp. Drop a file, then check it against your print size. - Free - No signup needed - Your file never leaves your browser Your image Drop your image here Choose a file PNG, JPEG or WebP · Your file never leaves your browser Print size to check Print width Print height Units DPI stored in the file – Drop an image to read its DPI and print sizes. 1. Pixel size – 2. Largest print at 300 DPI (sharp) – 3. Largest print at 150 DPI (fine from a distance) – ## How the checker works The checker reads the first bytes of your file in the browser: the pixel size, and the DPI saved in the PNG pHYs chunk, the JPEG JFIF header or the EXIF data. It then divides the pixels by 300 and 150 to get the largest sharp and acceptable print sizes, and by your print size to get the DPI you would really print at. **Largest print size** pixels ÷ DPI = inches (4500 px ÷ 300 = 15 in) **DPI at a print size** min(width px ÷ width in, height px ÷ height in) **Pixels you need** inches × 300 = pixels (18 in × 300 = 5400 px) 300 DPI for sharp prints and 150 DPI for prints seen from a distance are common print-shop rules of thumb, not a standard. Your print service’s own file requirements come first. ![Podly Design templates: T-shirt designs from best-selling niches, sorted by style, interest, holiday and season](https://podly.co/images/home-v2/tab-design-1400.webp) Podly Design In Podly Your file is ready. Is the design worth printing? Podly shows the sales rank, price and estimated sales of 50M+ print-on-demand products on Amazon, so you design for niches that sell. [Start free](https://app.podly.co/register?utm_source=podly.co&utm_medium=website&utm_content=dpi_checker) Free plan · No credit card ## How to use the DPI checker 1. Drop your PNG, JPEG or WebP file on the box, or press **Choose a file**. 2. Read the DPI stored in the file and the pixel size at the top of the result. 3. Pick your print size (the Amazon Merch T-shirt print area is preset) or type your own, in inches or centimeters. 4. The check line tells you if the image prints sharp at that size, and how many pixels you need if it does not. ## DPI vs pixels: what really sets print quality DPI (dots per inch, often used for PPI, pixels per inch) is how many image pixels go into one printed inch. The number saved in a file is only a label. Change it from 72 to 300 and the image keeps exactly the same pixels; only the default print size changes. What decides quality is the pixel count compared with the print size you want. That is why this image resolution checker shows both. If no DPI is stored, nothing is wrong with the file: the print size comes from the pixels. ## Worked example: a Merch on Demand T-shirt Amazon Merch on Demand asks for artwork at 100% of the print size at 300 DPI, and its T-shirt template is 4500 × 5400 px (Merch’s [design best practices](https://merch.amazon.com/resource/201849250) and [product templates](https://merch.amazon.com/resource/Y28FFE5NLRYJG4V), checked November 14, 2026). - 4500 px ÷ 300 = 15 in wide, 5400 px ÷ 300 = 18 in tall: the full print area at 300 DPI. - A 2400 × 2880 px file stretched to 15 × 18 in prints at 2400 ÷ 15 = 160 DPI: fine from a distance, soft up close. - A 1200 × 1440 px file at the same size prints at 80 DPI and will look blurry. ## Mistakes to avoid - **Raising the DPI number to fix a small image.** It adds no detail. Go back to the original artwork or a vector file. - **Enlarging a small image.** Upscaling in an editor makes the file bigger, not sharper. Merch’s design editor also cannot make artwork bigger than you uploaded it. - **Checking a screenshot of your design.** Screenshots are screen-sized. Export from your design app at the final pixel size. - **Saving a CMYK JPEG.** Most print-on-demand services, Amazon Merch included, want RGB files; Merch only accepts PNG. For Merch uploads, the [Merch design checker](https://podly.co/tools/merch-design-checker/) runs the full list: size per product, PNG, 25 MB, transparency and placement. Before you price the shirt, the [Merch royalty calculator](https://podly.co/royalties-calculator/) shows what you earn per sale, and the [trending T-shirt designs](https://podly.co/blog/trending-t-shirt-designs/) guide gives ideas for what to put on it. Facts checked and page updated on November 14, 2026. ## DPI questions, answered. Something we missed? [Send us a message.](https://podly.co/contact/) A human answers. **01 How do I check the DPI of an image?** Drop the file into the checker above. It reads the DPI saved in the PNG, JPEG or WebP file and shows the largest size you can print at 300 and 150 DPI. On a computer you can also look in the file’s properties (Windows) or Preview’s inspector (Mac). **02 Does changing an image from 72 to 300 DPI make it better?** No. The DPI number in a file only tells software how big to print it by default. A 1,500 px wide image has the same detail at 72 or 300 DPI. To print larger and sharp, you need more pixels from the original artwork. **03 What is a good image resolution for printing?** Enough pixels for 300 DPI at the size you print: an 8 × 10 inch print needs 2400 × 3000 px, and an Amazon Merch T-shirt needs 4500 × 5400 px for its 15 × 18 inch print area. 150 DPI is often fine for posters seen from a distance. **04 Why does my file say no DPI is stored?** Many apps, screenshots and web exports save no DPI setting, and WebP has no DPI field of its own, only an optional EXIF block. That is not a problem: printers and print-on-demand sites use the pixel size, so check that the pixels are enough for your print size. **05 Is my image uploaded anywhere?** No. The checker reads the file inside your browser. Nothing is sent to Podly or anyone else, and the image is gone when you close the page. More free tools ## Keep going with these free tools. - Design & print ### DPI calculator Print size and DPI from your pixel size - Design & print ### Pixels to inches Convert pixels and inches at any DPI - Design & print ### Merch design checker Check a file against Merch image rules Free ebook ## +1,000 Print-On-Demand niches. Free, in your inbox. More than 1,000 hot Print-On-Demand niches, updated weekly. Discover top-selling ideas and start getting more sales. [See what's in the guide](https://podly.co/1100-free-niche-for-merch-by-amazon/). ![The 1,000+ Niches That Sell ebook standing in the clouds](https://podly.co/images/home-v2/ebook.webp) ## Print-ready files. Now find designs that sell. Join 6,000+ Merch sellers who check Podly before they design. [Start free, find best-sellers](https://app.podly.co/register?utm_source=podly.co&utm_medium=website&utm_content=dpi_checker_final) [Add to Chrome, free](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/podly-ai-toolset-for-merc/dipicnapjjmogjmpcncbfooffdhcfndk) ![Podly Merch Database](https://podly.co/images/home-v2/tab-research.webp)