Convert a physical measurement in centimeters to the pixel count required at a specific print resolution.
Pixels
These are rounded whole-pixel targets for common physical measurements. Use 300 DPI for a typical high-quality close-viewed print; 150 DPI can be practical for larger prints viewed from farther away.
| Physical size | 72 DPI | 96 DPI | 150 DPI | 300 DPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cm | 28 px | 38 px | 59 px | 118 px |
| 2 cm | 57 px | 76 px | 118 px | 236 px |
| 5 cm | 142 px | 189 px | 295 px | 591 px |
| 10 cm | 283 px | 378 px | 591 px | 1,181 px |
| 15 cm | 425 px | 567 px | 886 px | 1,772 px |
| 20 cm | 567 px | 756 px | 1,181 px | 2,362 px |
| 21 cm (A4 width) | 595 px | 794 px | 1,240 px | 2,480 px |
| 29.7 cm (A4 height) | 842 px | 1,123 px | 1,754 px | 3,508 px |
| 30 cm | 850 px | 1,134 px | 1,772 px | 3,543 px |
A4 measures exactly 21 × 29.7 cm. At 300 DPI, convert each side independently: 21 cm becomes about 2,480 px and 29.7 cm becomes about 3,508 px. That gives a portrait canvas of approximately 2,480 × 3,508 px. The landscape version uses the same values in reverse order.
If A4 is your actual target, the A4 Size in Pixels guide includes portrait/landscape values and an interactive DPI selector.
pixels = (centimeters / 2.54) × DPI. Because one inch is exactly 2.54 cm, the conversion only becomes meaningful when a DPI is specified. At 300 DPI, 21 cm becomes about 2,480 pixels and 29.7 cm becomes about 3,508 pixels — the familiar A4 dimensions.
For a two-dimensional print, convert the width and height separately. If you already have an image and want to know how large it can print instead, use the Pixels to CM tool.
Divide the centimeter value by 2.54 to convert it to inches, then multiply by the target DPI: pixels = (cm / 2.54) × DPI.
1 cm is approximately 118 pixels at 300 DPI. At 150 DPI it is about 59 pixels, and at 96 DPI it is about 38 pixels.
A4 is 21 × 29.7 cm, which rounds to approximately 2480 × 3508 pixels at 300 DPI.
Centimeters describe physical size while pixels are digital units. DPI determines how many pixels are assigned to each inch of physical output, so changing DPI changes the required pixel count.
