What DPI Do I Need for Printing? (Flyers, Posters, Banners)

Print resolution depends on viewing distance. Items read in the hand — business cards, flyers, booklets — need 300dpi at final size. Posters viewed from a metre or two work at 150–200dpi. Large banners seen from several metres away print perfectly at 100dpi or even lower.

DPI by product

Product	Minimum DPI at final size	Typical viewing distance
Business cards	300	In hand
Flyers / booklets	300	In hand
A3–A2 posters	200–300	1m
A1–A0 posters	150	1–3m
Roller banners	150	2m
PVC banners	100	3m+

What does "at final size" mean?

A 300dpi image scaled up 200% becomes 150dpi. An A6 photo can't fill an A1 poster sharply. Check the pixel dimensions: an A1 poster at 150dpi needs roughly 3508 × 4967 pixels.

Can I increase DPI in software?

Upsampling adds pixels but not detail — it makes files bigger, not sharper. AI upscaling can rescue a logo or simple graphic for banner use, but a blurry photo stays blurry. If in doubt, send us the file and we'll check it free.

Why do screenshots print badly?

Screens are ~72–110dpi. A screenshot at print size is a third of the resolution needed. Always source the original image or a vector version.

FAQ

Is 72dpi ever OK? Only for very large banners viewed from far away. What about vector logos? Vectors (AI, EPS, SVG, vector PDF) have no DPI — they scale infinitely and are always the best thing to supply. Will you warn me if my image is too low-res? Yes, before printing — every file gets checked.