PT to PX Converter
Convert font sizes between points and pixels (12 pt = 16 px at the CSS 96 DPI), plus millimetres, inches, picas and em, with a chart of common point sizes at any DPI.
How it works
1 pt = 1/72 inch · px = pt × DPI ÷ 72 (at 96 DPI: px = pt × 4/3) · pt = px × 72 ÷ DPI · mm = pt × 25.4 ÷ 72 · 1 pica = 12 pt · em = px ÷ base size
The desktop-publishing (PostScript) point is exactly 1/72 of an inch. CSS defines its reference pixel as 1/96 inch, so on the web 1 pt = 1.333 px and 12 pt text is 16 px — the browser default. Word processors size fonts in points; screens and stylesheets in pixels or em, where 1 em equals the current font size. For a physical display or a print file, set the DPI to the device’s pixel density instead.
Worked example
12 pt at 96 DPI: 12 ÷ 72 = 0.1667 inch × 96 = 16 px. The same size is 4.233 mm, 1 pica and 1 em with a 16 px base. In the chart, 10.5 pt = 14 px and 11 pt ≈ 14.667 px.
Sources: W3C — CSS Values and Units Level 4 (absolute lengths) · Point (typography) — Wikipedia
Frequently asked questions
How many pixels is 12 pt?
16 px at the standard 96 DPI used by CSS and Windows. At 72 DPI, 12 pt is 12 px; at 300 DPI (print) it is 50 px.
What is the formula to convert pt to px?
px = pt × DPI ÷ 72. On the web (96 DPI) that is px = pt × 1.333, and pt = px × 0.75.
Is 1 point equal to 1 pixel?
Only at 72 DPI, the old Mac and Photoshop default. On modern screens and in CSS, 1 pt = 1.333 px.
How big is 12 pt in millimetres?
12 pt = 12 × 25.4 ÷ 72 = 4.23 mm. That is the body size (the height of the type block), not the height of a capital letter, which is usually about 70% of it.
What is the difference between em and rem?
em is relative to the font size of the parent element, rem to the root (html) element. With the default 16 px root, 1 rem = 16 px = 12 pt.
Related calculators
This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.