Will My Photo Print Sharp?

How the checker works

A print looks sharp when there are enough pixels for every centimetre of the product. The checker takes your photo's width and height in pixels, fits it to the print area of the product you picked, and divides one by the other. The result is the effective resolution in DPI (dots per inch) your photo will print at.

Because the photo is scaled to cover the whole print area, the side that runs out of pixels first sets the resolution. The checker also shows how much of the photo falls outside the print shape, so you know whether a face or a name might need repositioning in the designer.

What the result means

• Prints sharp: enough pixels for crisp detail at this size.
• Good for this size: sharp at normal viewing distance; tiny details may soften up close.
• May look soft: edges and small text will look slightly blurry.
• Likely blurry: not enough pixels; use the original file or choose a smaller product.

Phone cases and mugs are judged more strictly than posters and desk mats, because people hold them close. 300 DPI is the ideal we design for, which is what our phone case crop guide and desk mat image size guide recommend.

Pixel sizes for a 300 DPI print

These are the print areas of our products and the pixel size that gives the ideal 300 DPI. A modern phone photo (about 4,000 × 3,000 pixels) is plenty for a phone case or mug and good for most poster sizes.

Phone case backs vary slightly by model; the designer shows the exact shape for yours.

How to fix a photo that will print soft

1. Find the original. Photos sent through messaging apps or saved from social media are usually resized to around 1,000–2,000 pixels.
2. Avoid screenshots. A screenshot only has as many pixels as your screen.
3. Crop less. Every crop throws pixels away. Zoom in the designer only as far as you need.
4. Choose a smaller size. The same photo that is soft on a 60 × 80 cm poster can be sharp at 30 × 40 cm.
5. Check the preview. When you are happy here, open the designer and look at the live preview before ordering.

Questions

Is my photo uploaded anywhere?

No. The checker reads the image's width and height inside your browser. The file is not sent to Ink Cabin or anyone else, and nothing is saved when you close the page.

What DPI do I need for a sharp print?

300 DPI at the final print size is the ideal we design for. Things you hold close, like a phone case or mug, still look sharp from about 240 DPI. Posters and desk mats are seen from further away, so 200 DPI looks sharp and around 140 DPI is still good.

My photo says 72 DPI in its settings. Is that a problem?

No. The DPI number stored in a file is only a label. What matters is how many pixels the photo has compared with the size you print it at, which is exactly what this checker calculates.

How do I get a bigger version of my photo?

Use the original from your camera or phone gallery, not a copy saved from a messaging app, social network, or screenshot, because those are usually resized. In Google Photos or iCloud, download the original rather than a shared link preview.

Can I make a small photo bigger?

Enlarging a photo adds pixels but not real detail. AI upscalers can help with simple images, but faces and fine textures may look artificial. Check the result in the designer preview before you order, or choose a smaller product.

Why does part of my photo get cropped?

Every product has its own shape. A phone case is tall and narrow, a mug wrap is wide, and posters come in fixed proportions. When the photo's shape differs, part of it falls outside the print area. In the designer you can move and scale the photo to choose which part is printed.

Ready to design?

Ordering a gift for the holidays? See our Christmas order-by dates and photo gift ideas.

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