Printed image resolution

Last updated on Oct 27, 2025

Learn how image dimensions and resolution affect the quality of printed output.

Printed image resolution refers to the number of pixels assigned to each inch of an image when it’s printed, measured in pixels per inch (ppi). The more pixels per inch, the higher the resolution, and a high-resolution image will generally produce sharper and more detailed printed results.

Image dimensions represent the total number of pixels along the width and height of an image. While dimensions determine the pixel count, resolution determines how densely those pixels are packed when sent to print.

When adjusting image dimensions or resolution, the total image data remains constant unless the image is resampled. If you increase resolution, the width and height will decrease proportionally to preserve the same amount of data, and lowering resolution will increase the image’s physical size when printed. Resampling is required to change the number of pixels in the image itself.