What's DPI and why is more considered better?

DPI (Dots per Inch) is the number of dots in a printed inch. Computers display and print images in small dots, so the more dots the image has, the higher the quality of the print (more image sharpness and detail). The fewer the dots, the blurrier the image. See the images below:

120 DPI: the penguin on the right is where we want you to be from the beginning. While 150–300 DPI still is the amount to strive for, 120 DPI is a good amount of dots to produce high–quality prints. For paper products we strongly recommend uploading files at 300 DPI to ensure high-quality prints.

60 DPI: the penguin in the middle is the case where the Smart Image Tool comes in handy. Because the Smart Image Tool can make images with 38–74 DPI two times larger, you no longer have to scale the image down to meet our DPI requirements, and your image is adjusted to meet our print requirements.

30 DPI: if you want to print the penguin on the left, you have 2 options:

1. Upload a new image that meets our minimum requirements for printing, or;
2. Scale down the uploaded image. This pushes the dots closer together, making the image more compact. The image will be smaller, but you'll be able to get your image printed.

What does the Smart Image Tool do?


What is DPI, resolution and actual print file size?