12 x 16 Inches to Pixels

12 × 16 inches is 3,600 × 4,800 pixels at 300 DPI, 1,800 × 2,400 pixels at 150 DPI and 1,152 × 1,536 pixels at the 96 PPI screen standard.

PPI
Size in inches
in
in

Edit any field to convert a different size at the same resolution.

12 × 16 inches in pixels at every common resolution

The pixel count changes with the resolution you are working to — these are the values you are most likely to need.

12 × 16 inches to pixels (pixels = inches × DPI)
ResolutionWidth × height in pixelsTypical use
72 DPI864 × 1,152Legacy web
96 DPI1,152 × 1,536Screen and CSS
150 DPI1,800 × 2,400Posters and drafts
300 DPI3,600 × 4,800Photo and magazine print
600 DPI7,200 × 9,600Fine art and line work

How the conversion works

Pixels are found by multiplying the length in inches by the pixel density: pixels = inches × DPI. For 12 × 16 inches at 300 DPI that is 12 × 300 = 3,600 and 16 × 300 = 4,800.

The proportions reduce to 3:4.

A print at this size is usually seen from half a metre or more, where 150 DPI holds up, which puts it at 3,600 × 4,800 pixels at 300 DPI and 1,800 × 2,400 at 150.

That works out at 17.3 megapixels at 300 DPI, or 4.3 megapixels at 150 DPI. In metric the same size is 30.48 × 40.64 cm.

Frequently asked questions

How many pixels is 12 × 16 inches?

3,600 × 4,800 pixels at 300 DPI, 1,800 × 2,400 at 150 DPI and 1,152 × 1,536 at the 96 PPI screen standard. Multiply the inches by whichever density you are working to.

How many pixels is 12 × 16 inches at 300 DPI?

3,600 × 4,800 pixels. That is the standard density for photographic and magazine printing.

What is 12 × 16 inches in centimetres?

30.48 × 40.64 cm, because one inch is exactly 2.54 centimetres.

Does this size really need 300 DPI?

Usually not. Something this size is read from about a metre away, and at that distance 150 to 200 DPI is indistinguishable from 300. That is 1,800 × 2,400 pixels rather than 3,600 × 4,800 — a quarter of the file for no visible loss.

Is 12 × 16 a 3:4 ratio?

Yes. That is 3:4, which is not a standard print shape: the closest is a Letter page, and fitting it means losing about 3% along the long edge.

Why does the pixel count change with DPI?

A pixel has no fixed physical size. The DPI value says how many pixels fill one inch, so raising it raises the pixel count needed to cover the same physical space.