DPI Converter — Change Image DPI Online Free
Use this free DPI converter to change the resolution of any image in seconds. Convert to 300 DPI for professional printing or 72 DPI for web — our tool modifies the actual EXIF and resolution metadata in your file, not just a surface-level label.
Supports JPG, PNG, WebP, and GIF. No signup, no software, no watermarks. Upload, convert, download.
DPI Converter Tool
Upload your image, choose a target DPI, and download the converted file instantly.
Your files are processed in isolated server memory and deleted immediately after download. We never store your images.
How to Change Image DPI Online
Converting your image DPI takes four steps and less than ten seconds.
Upload Your Image
Select any JPG, PNG, WebP, or GIF file from your device. Drag-and-drop supported, up to 50 MB.
Choose Target DPI
Pick 72 DPI for web, 300 DPI for professional print, 600 DPI for high-detail, or enter any custom value.
Click Convert
Our server rewrites the DPI metadata using ImageMagick — no pixel resampling, no quality loss.
Download
Your DPI-converted image is ready immediately. File auto-deleted from our servers after download.
DPI Presets — Which DPI Value Do You Need?
Choosing the right DPI depends on your output medium. Use this reference to select the correct target value before converting.
| DPI Value | Best Use Case |
|---|---|
| 72 DPI | Web images, email, social media, digital ads |
| 96 DPI | Windows display, general screen use |
| 150 DPI | Draft printing, internal office documents, newsletters |
| 200 DPI | Newspaper printing, low-cost brochures |
| 300 DPI ★ | Photo prints, magazines, business cards, brochures, packaging |
| 400 DPI | High-detail photo enlargements |
| 600 DPI | Line art, technical drawings, passport photos, archival scans |
| 1200 DPI | Vector-grade output, fine art reproduction, prepress proofs |
Most print shops and commercial presses require a minimum of 300 DPI. If you are submitting to a stock photography platform like Adobe Stock or Shutterstock, 300 DPI is the standard. For passport and official ID photo submissions, many government agencies specify 600 DPI.
Why Use Our DPI Converter?
Not all online DPI tools work the same way. Many browser-based converters use JavaScript to redraw and re-export your image, introducing compression artifacts. Others simply relabel the DPI field without writing valid metadata. Our tool is different.
True Metadata Editing
We modify the actual resolution metadata in your image's binary structure — JFIF APP0 or EXIF APP1 for JPEG, pHYs chunk for PNG, XResolution/YResolution tags for TIFF. The result is a genuine DPI change verified by Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, GIMP, InDesign, and ImageMagick.
Server-Side Processing
Every conversion runs server-side using ImageMagick and PHP's GD library — not a client-side JavaScript workaround. This ensures accurate, verifiable output that passes inspection in any professional print workflow or prepress environment.
Lossless by Default
We edit metadata only — your pixel data stays untouched. Image dimensions, aspect ratio, colour profile, and file quality remain identical. You can change DPI without losing quality.
Zero Data Retention
Your images are processed in isolated memory and discarded the moment your download completes. Nothing is written to disk, logged, or stored. Your files remain completely private.
No Account Required
No signup, no email gate, no usage limits. The tool is free, works in every browser, and does not require JavaScript to function. Unlimited conversions, forever.
All Major Formats
Supports JPG/JPEG, PNG, WebP, and GIF. Each format's resolution metadata is correctly updated in the binary structure for full cross-application compatibility.
Who Uses a DPI Converter?
Professionals across multiple industries rely on accurate DPI conversion as part of their daily workflow.
Photographers
Convert images to 300 DPI before submitting to print labs. Digital cameras typically save at 72 or 96 DPI — converting ensures the print lab outputs at the correct physical size with sharp, detailed results.
Graphic Designers
Prepare client artwork for commercial print — brochure layouts in Adobe InDesign, posters from Figma, logos from Illustrator. Set exact DPI specs for offset or digital printing, typically 300 DPI.
Print Shops & Prepress
Normalise customer-submitted files to required DPI specs before sending to commercial presses or large-format plotters. Ensure consistent output across entire print runs.
Publishers & Editors
Verify all editorial images meet the 300 DPI minimum before layout. Academic journals, magazines, and book publishers reject figures that don't meet resolution requirements.
Web Developers
Use lower DPI values (72–96 DPI) to reduce image file size for faster page loading. Screens measure images in pixels, not inches, so reducing DPI shrinks file size with no visual change.
Students & Freelancers
Convert images to meet submission requirements from universities, clients, or print services that specify exact DPI values for assignments, portfolios, or deliverables.
DPI vs PPI — What's the Difference?
DPI — Dots Per Inch
A printer hardware specification. It describes the number of individual ink dots a printer deposits within one linear inch of paper. A 600 DPI printer produces 600 dots per inch, resulting in finer detail and smoother gradients on the printed page.
PPI — Pixels Per Inch
Describes the pixel density of a digital image. When you open an image in Adobe Photoshop and see "300 pixels/inch" in the Image Size dialog, that is PPI. It tells software how densely to map pixels when outputting at a physical size.
In practice, the two terms are used interchangeably across the print and design industry. When a print shop says "send us 300 DPI," they mean 300 PPI. Our DPI converter handles both — the resolution metadata your software reads and the practical requirements of your printer or publisher.
Common DPI Conversion Scenarios
Here are real-world situations where you might need to change image DPI without touching pixel dimensions.
1. 72 DPI to 300 DPI for Printing
You downloaded a logo or photo from the web and need to print it on a business card or brochure. The file is 72 DPI, but your printer requires 300 DPI. Our converter updates the DPI metadata so your print software recognises the correct print resolution. If the pixel dimensions are large enough, you can achieve sharp results without resampling.
2. Meeting Passport Photo Requirements
Many passport and visa applications require images at 300–600 DPI with specific physical dimensions (for example, 2×2 inches at 300 DPI). Use an image editor to crop to the correct pixel size, then use our DPI converter to set the exact DPI so your file passes automatic validation.
3. Preparing Artwork for Commercial Print
If you design posters, flyers, or packaging, your print provider might specify “300 DPI CMYK, PDF/X-1a.” Ensure the raster images inside your layout have correct DPI metadata before placing them into InDesign, Illustrator, or Affinity Publisher. Our tool lets you batch-correct multiple images before assembly.
4. Reducing File Size for Web
For website imagery, you might want to reduce DPI metadata to 72 or 96 DPI to align with web standards and some CMS expectations. While DPI alone does not change how browsers display pixels, aligning metadata can help with certain export and optimisation workflows.
How Our DPI Converter Works (Technical Details)
Under the hood, this tool uses ImageMagick and PHP to safely change the DPI metadata in your file without altering pixel data:
- We accept your upload via a secure, temporary PHP upload directory.
- ImageMagick inspects the image header and identifies the correct metadata fields for DPI/resolution.
- The resolution metadata (XResolution/YResolution, ResolutionUnit, pHYs chunk, etc.) is updated for the requested DPI value.
- The image is re-written with identical pixel data, colour profile, and bit depth — only the metadata changes.
- The result is a file that opens correctly in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, GIMP, and other professional tools with the new DPI displayed.
Because everything runs server-side, the conversion works on any device or browser and does not depend on JavaScript or WebAssembly inside your browser.
DPI Converter vs Image Resizer
Use the right tool for the job: changing DPI is not the same as resizing an image.
| Feature | DPI Converter | Image Resizer |
|---|---|---|
| Changes pixel dimensions | No — pixel width and height remain exactly the same. | Yes — you can set new width/height in pixels. |
| Changes print size (inches/cm) | Yes — by changing DPI metadata, effective print size changes. | Yes — by resampling pixels to a new size. |
| Affects on-screen appearance | No — screens use pixels, not DPI, so visual size stays the same. | Yes — fewer pixels means a smaller on-screen image. |
| Risk of quality loss | None — we only edit metadata. | Possible — resampling can soften details if downsized aggressively. |
| Best for | Preparing images for specific print DPI requirements without touching pixels. | Optimising images for web, reducing file size, or changing layout dimensions. |
Frequently Asked Questions About DPI
Does changing DPI change file size?
Changing DPI metadata alone has minimal impact on file size. File size mainly depends on pixel dimensions, colour depth, and compression. Our DPI converter leaves pixels untouched, so file size usually changes only slightly when the header is rewritten.
Can I turn a low-resolution image into high quality by increasing DPI?
No. If your image is only 800×600 pixels, changing it to 300 DPI does not magically add detail — it only changes how software interprets pixel density for print. For large, high-quality prints, you need enough pixels to begin with.
Is this DPI converter free?
Yes. The tool is completely free to use, with no registration or usage limits. You can convert as many images as you like for personal or commercial projects.
Do you store my images?
No. Your files are processed in temporary memory and removed automatically after conversion and download. We do not keep backups, logs, or copies of your images.
Will this work without JavaScript enabled?
Yes. The DPI conversion runs on our servers. The upload form, DPI presets, and download button are all fully functional without any client-side JavaScript.
Ready to Convert Your Image DPI?
Upload your file, choose a DPI value, and get a print-ready or web-optimised image in seconds. No watermarks, no registration, no JavaScript required.
Start Converting — Free