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All you need to know about image resolution for display print
For large-format display graphics, we ask for images of at least 150 ppi at 100% of the finished size. The lowest we can accept is 75 ppi at finished size. Below that, no amount of work at our end will make a photo print well.
What that means in pixels depends on the size of the graphic. The table below turns our specification into pixel dimensions for common banner, wall and lightbox sizes in our range, so you can check a photo before it goes into the layout. The full rules for bleed, colour and file type are on our artwork specifications page.
How to work out the pixels you need
An inch is exactly 25.4 mm, so the sum is the same for any size:
pixels needed = finished size in mm ÷ 25.4 × ppi
For a pull-up banner 850 mm wide at 150 ppi: 850 ÷ 25.4 × 150 = 5,020 pixels across (rounded up). At the 75 ppi minimum it is half that: 2,510 pixels.
A quicker rule: at 150 ppi, every 100 mm of printed width needs about 591 pixels (100 ÷ 25.4 × 150 = 590.6).
Size-by-size resolution table
Finished sizes come from our product pages and artwork templates, such as those for our Premier pull-up banner stands. The lightbox row uses the long face of the standard 2.4 x 1.2 x 1.2 m frame. Pixel figures are rounded up and cover the finished size only; add the bleed your template asks for.
| Graphic | Finished size (W x H) | Pixels at 150 ppi (best) | Pixels at 75 ppi (minimum) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pull-up banner, 1.5 m high | 600 x 1,500 mm | 3,544 x 8,859 | 1,772 x 4,430 |
| Pull-up banner, most popular Premier size | 850 x 2,100 mm | 5,020 x 12,402 | 2,510 x 6,201 |
| Pull-up banner | 1,000 x 2,100 mm | 5,906 x 12,402 | 2,953 x 6,201 |
| Pull-up banner, wide | 1,200 x 2,100 mm | 7,087 x 12,402 | 3,544 x 6,201 |
| Pull-up banner, tall | 1,200 x 2,400 mm | 7,087 x 14,174 | 3,544 x 7,087 |
| Shell scheme wall panel | 1,000 x 2,350 mm | 5,906 x 13,878 | 2,953 x 6,939 |
| Overhead lightbox, long side | 2,400 x 1,200 mm | 14,174 x 7,087 | 7,087 x 3,544 |
| Fabric backdrop wall | 2,400 x 2,250 mm | 14,174 x 13,288 | 7,087 x 6,644 |
| Fabric backdrop wall | 3,000 x 2,250 mm | 17,717 x 13,288 | 8,859 x 6,644 |
| Fabric backdrop wall | 6,000 x 2,250 mm | 35,434 x 13,288 | 17,717 x 6,644 |
The figures are for a photo that fills the whole graphic. A photo that fills only part of it needs pixels for that part only. A product shot printed 500 mm wide on a backdrop needs 500 ÷ 25.4 × 150 = 2,953 pixels across, not the full wall width.
Why viewing distance matters
Not every graphic is read from the same distance, so treat 150 ppi as the target and 75 ppi as the floor:
- Read at arm's length: counter fronts, pull-up banners beside a stand entrance and product panels. People stand close enough to see every soft edge, so aim for 150 ppi or better.
- Read across an aisle or hall: backdrop walls, overhead lightboxes and header graphics. These are more forgiving, but they still need 75 ppi at finished size.
- Logos: supply them as vector files (AI, EPS or a vector PDF) so they stay sharp at any size. Our guide to supplying the right logo file explains why.
For backlit graphics, check colour and density with the lights on, and don't supply artwork prepared only for front lighting.
How to check an image's real resolution
File size is a poor guide, because compression changes it. Check the pixel dimensions instead.
- Open the image in Photoshop and choose Image > Image Size.
- Untick Resample, so no pixels are added or removed.
- Set the units to millimetres and type in the width the image will print at.
- Read the Resolution box. That is the ppi the image will have at that size.
If it reads 150 or more, you're set. Between 75 and 150, it is within our specification, but ask for a proof if the graphic will be seen up close. Below 75, it is below the lowest we can accept.
Don't confuse ppi with dpi. Pixels per inch describes your image. Dots per inch describes how a printer lays down ink, which varies from printer to printer. Our specification is in ppi.
Working at a proportional scale
Large walls are often built at a fraction of finished size. That's fine, but the resolution scales too. At 10% scale, images need 1,500 ppi in the file (150 x 10 = 1,500) to print at 150 ppi at full size. The pixel count you need doesn't change with the scale; only the ppi figure in the file does.
Don't over-size the file
More is not always better. Doubling the resolution doubles the pixels in each direction, so the file holds four times the data. At 300 ppi, a 6 m backdrop would need 70,866 pixels across (6,000 ÷ 25.4 × 300). Adobe advises a special format, such as its Large Document Format (PSB), for any image over 30,000 pixels wide or high, and even the 150 ppi figure of 35,434 pixels is over that line. On a graphic that size, viewed from across a hall, 75 to 150 ppi is the sensible range.
Big files are also slow to send. When you export the PDF, setting colour and greyscale image compression to 150 ppi is plenty for large-format print. Our guide to making a PDF file smaller shows the settings.
What to do with a low-resolution hero image
Enlarging a small image in Photoshop doesn't fix it. Upsampling makes Photoshop guess which pixels to add, so you get a bigger file but no real detail. Better options:
- Find the original. Ask the photographer, brand team or image library for the full-size file. Files saved for websites are usually low resolution.
- Print it smaller. Run the photo in a panel or window rather than full bleed, and fill the rest with colour or vector graphics.
- Crop with care. Cropping throws pixels away, so check the resolution again after cropping.
- Swap the image. If the shot is below 75 ppi at the size the layout needs, choose another one or redesign around it.
If you'd like a second pair of eyes, our artwork preflighting service checks your files against the product template for $45 ex-GST per job, and sends you digital proofs to approve before anything prints. Insufficient image resolution is one of the top five issues we find in preflighting, along with the others in artwork mistakes that cost you a reprint.
Check your images against the table, then email your files to artwork@displays2go.com.au, or call us on 1300 240 250 if you'd like our studio to take a look first.