The PX to PT Converter changes pixels into points, the unit used in print and typography. At the standard 96 DPI the conversion is fixed, so you can move between screen and print units confidently.
Points appear whenever design crosses from screen to paper — print stylesheets, PDFs, and word processors all measure type in points. Enter a pixel value and the converter gives you the exact points equivalent (and back), so a size that looks right on screen translates cleanly to print.
How to convert px to pt
- Enter the pixel value.
- Read the equivalent points value; it also converts pt back to px.
The px to pt formula
pt = px × 72 ÷ 96, which simplifies to px × 0.75. So 16px equals 12pt. Points are based on 72 per inch, while screens assume 96 pixels per inch.
Points, pixels, and DPI
A point is defined as 1/72 of an inch, a typographic unit that predates screens. CSS assumes a reference density of 96 pixels per inch, so 96px maps to 1 inch and therefore to 72pt — giving the fixed 0.75 ratio between px and pt. This holds regardless of the physical density of a particular monitor, because CSS uses a reference pixel rather than a hardware pixel.
When to use points
Use points when your output is print rather than screen: styles inside an @media print block, PDF generation, or matching a layout to a Word or InDesign document where sizes are given in pt. For on-screen work, stick with px, rem, or em — points offer no benefit there and can behave inconsistently across browsers for layout, so they are best reserved for print typography.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert px to pt?
Multiply the pixel value by 0.75. So 16px is 12pt and 24px is 18pt. The converter handles both directions.
Why are points used?
Points are the standard unit in print and word processors, so converting from pixels helps match on-screen designs to printed output.