The Best PPI for Printing & Scanning Photos

The right PPI to choose depends on size and function of the photo.

When scanning a photo, you should consider how it will be used before selecting resolution settings, or pixels per inch (PPI). These settings will vary depending on how you use the photograph and if you want to make enlargements.

Scanning for the Web

Photos on the Internet only need measure between 72 PPI and 96 PPI. If your image measures 4 inch by 6 inches and you want it to remain that size, then scan to either of these resolution settings. If you would like to double the size of the photo to 8 inches by 12 inches, double your resolution to approximately 150 PPI.

Scanning to Print

Printed photos should be made at 300 PPI for the best quality. Most inkjet printers will not display any increased print quality beyond this resolution. If you want to make an enlargement from a photo, choose a higher resolution. To print a 4 inch by 6 inch original photo to 8 inches by 12 inches, scan it at 600 PPI. You can adjust the image settings in an image-editing program to increase the physical size and reduce the resolution to 300 PPI before printing. Printing a file at 600 PPI or larger can slow down the function of some computers.

References

• "Photography", 9th ed.; Barbara London, Jim Stone, John Upton; 2008

Resources

• HP: Introduction to Photo Scanning