Calculating Pixels for Precise Label Design

Calculating pixels can be very useful for precise label and document design. Exact placement for labels and documents allows timely approval and will help you to avoid unnecessary costs.

To create precise design, you will want to set Dots Per Inch (DPI) specifications with numbers rather than dragging to adjust the item. In most cases, you will be converting imperial measurements to metric.

Note: the DPI metric conversion is 2.54 cm per inch.

Example One:

You have a Zebra printer with 203 DPI which is standard, (that is the most common DPI for a Zebra printer), you will divide 203 / 2.54 = 79.92125. There are 10 mm in a cm, so that means roughly 8 dots or pixels will go into a mm.

If you need to be over by 5 mm then multiple 5 * 8 = 40, you can move your element of text or barcode to 40, and be precisely 5 mm over from the edge of the paper.

Example Two:

For a DPI of 300, you will do the same kind of calculation:

300 / 2.54 = 118.11

Divide by 10 and you get roughly 12 pixels per mm.

Note: Desktop printers can be set to any settings as they are not as standardized as Label printers.