Typography Unit Converter
Convert between points, pixels, picas, inches and mm.
Results update as you type.
How it works
A typography unit converter restates a type or layout measurement in a different unit, moving between points, pixels, picas, inches, millimetres and centimetres. It reduces your figure to points, the traditional base of typography, then scales out to the unit you choose, so one mechanism covers font sizing, line spacing, print layout and web design alike. This matters because print and screen design use different, overlapping units and getting them wrong throws off a layout. Font sizes and leading are specified in points; print columns and gutters are often measured in picas, each of which is twelve points; web and screen work is done in pixels; page dimensions and margins may be given in inches or millimetres. A designer moving a print specification to the web, or matching a CSS pixel size to a printed point size, needs a reliable bridge between these worlds. The convert-through-points method is used because every typography unit has a fixed ratio to the point in the modern desktop-publishing system — there are exactly 72 points to an inch, 12 points to a pica, and, at the standard 96 pixels-per-inch screen resolution, one pixel equals 0.75 points. Millimetres and centimetres follow from the inch. Pivoting through points keeps results exact and needs only one factor per unit. Note that the pixel relationship assumes the conventional 96 DPI baseline used by CSS. Graphic designers, typesetters, web developers and anyone bridging print and screen rely on a typography converter for consistent sizing.
Convert to points via known factors, then to the target unit
The input is multiplied by its unit's fixed number of points to express the measurement in points, then divided by the target unit's point value to complete the conversion. In the modern desktop-publishing system there are exactly 72 points per inch and 12 points per pica, and at the standard 96 pixels-per-inch screen density one pixel is 0.75 points, so every unit has a fixed ratio to the point, making the pivot exact.
Source:International System of Units (SI) — NIST
We review all our tools from time to time to ensure accuracy.
Worked example
How to use this calculator
- 1
Enter your values
Enter value, from and to.
- 2
Adjust the options
Fine-tune any options to match your situation.
- 3
Read your result
Converted length updates instantly as you type — no button to press.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert points to pixels?
At the standard 96 pixels-per-inch screen resolution, multiply points by 4 and divide by 3, since one point is 0.75 pixels the other way. So a 12-point font is 16 pixels, and 9 points is 12 pixels. To reverse it, multiply pixels by 0.75 to get points. This relationship underlies the common CSS convention where 1pt equals 1.333px at the default 96 DPI baseline.
How many points are in an inch?
There are exactly 72 points in an inch in the modern desktop-publishing point used by software like Adobe applications and by PostScript and PDF. This makes a point about 0.353 millimetres. Historically several slightly different point sizes existed, but the 72-per-inch definition is now standard, which is why this converter uses it for all point, pica and inch relationships.
What is a pica?
A pica is a typographic unit equal to exactly 12 points, or one-sixth of an inch, so there are 6 picas to an inch. Picas are traditionally used to measure column widths, line lengths and page layout dimensions, while points measure smaller things like font size and leading. So a column 20 picas wide is 240 points or about 3.33 inches across.
Does the pixel conversion depend on screen resolution?
Yes. This converter uses the standard 96 pixels-per-inch baseline that CSS and most operating systems assume, giving 1 pixel equal to 0.75 points. On a high-density display the physical pixels are smaller, but software still maps CSS pixels to that 96 DPI reference, so the conversion holds for layout purposes. For device-specific physical pixel sizing you would need that display's actual pixel density.
Why convert typography units through points?
The point is the traditional base unit of typography, and every other unit here — picas, inches, pixels, millimetres — has a fixed, defined ratio to it in the modern system. Using the point as the pivot means the converter needs only one factor per unit rather than a separate rule for each pair, keeps results exact, and matches the unit that font and layout software use internally for type sizing.