300 DPI in Figma: Everything You Need to Know About DPI and Resolution

If you've ever tried to use Figma for print design, you've probably run into the "72 DPI" problem. Someone told you that Figma is locked at 72 DPI, and therefore can't be used for professional print work. This is a myth. Figma by no means locks you at 72 DPI - and in this article, I'm going to explain exactly how DPI works in Figma, and how you can achieve 300 DPI (or even higher) in your designs.

First, what is DPI (PPI)?

DPI stands for Dots Per Inch. We'll be using this term to refer to the resolution of images, or in other words, how many pixels are packed into a single inch. The more accurate term for this is actually PPI (Pixels Per Inch), but because most designers use the term "DPI", we'll be using it in this article instead.

"PPI" would be a more accurate term here because when we're working in Figma, there's no such thing as a "dot" - there are only pixels. Also, most professionals in the print industry use the term "DPI" for the resolution of a specific printer, and use "PPI" when referring to the resolution of a specific image.

When your printer asks for "300 DPI", they're asking for images that have enough pixels to print 300 pixels worth of detail per inch of paper. If an image doesn't have enough pixels, the printer has to "stretch" the image data, resulting in a blurry or pixelated print.

The big misconception: "Figma is 72 DPI"

Here's where most people get confused. Figma has a base canvas resolution of 72 PPI. This means that 1 inch in Figma equals 72 pixels. But this does not mean your exports are locked at 72 DPI!

The 72 PPI base is simply a reference point for how Figma translates real-world measurements into pixels. It's important to know, but it doesn't limit your final output quality in any way.

Here's the key insight: DPI is not a property of your entire file - it's a property of each individual image.

When you export a PDF from Figma, that PDF contains multiple objects: text, shapes, vectors, and images. Text and vectors are resolution-independent - they can be printed at any size without losing quality. Only raster images (photos, textures, etc.) have a DPI that matters.

So when someone asks you to "design at 300 DPI", what they really mean is that each image in your final PDF should be 300 DPI or more. There isn't one "DPI" for the whole PDF - DPI is per-image.

How DPI works in Figma

Let me walk you through a concrete example. Let's say you're making an 8.5x11 inch poster.

Step 1: Create the right frame size

To make an 8.5x11 inch PDF in Figma, you create a frame that is:

• (8.5 * 72) = 612px wide
• (11 * 72) = 792px tall

Step 2: Add an image at 300 DPI

Now let's say you want to add an image in the center of that poster that will print at 3x3 inches, and you want it to be 300 DPI.

To figure out what size image you need, multiply the print dimensions by the desired DPI:

• (3 inches * 300 DPI) = 900 pixels
• (3 inches * 300 DPI) = 900 pixels

So you need to import an image that is at least 900x900 pixels.

Step 3: Shrink the image to fit

Here's the magic: in Figma, a 3x3 inch area is only 216x216 pixels (3 * 72 = 216). So when you shrink your 900x900 pixel image down to fit this 216x216 pixel area, you're compressing all those pixels into a smaller space. Since there's a higher density of pixels, the image appears sharper and higher quality.

When you export the PDF, you can open it in Adobe Acrobat and use the Object Inspector to verify: you'll have an 8.5x11 inch document, with a 3x3 inch image in the center, and that image will be 300 DPI.

The DPI formula

The key to understanding DPI in Figma is this: shrinking an image increases its DPI, and enlarging an image decreases its DPI.

Here's why: Figma stores the original pixel data of every image you import. When you resize an image layer, you're just changing how that pixel data is displayed - you're not actually changing the underlying pixels.

If you shrink an image by half, Figma now has to fit the same number of pixels into half the space. That means twice as many pixels per inch - double the DPI.

The formula:

DPI = (Original Image Size / Current Display Size) * 72

Or, if you prefer to think about it as a ratio:

DPI = (1 / Scale Factor) * 72

Example:

• You import a 600x400 pixel image into Figma
• You shrink it by half, so it's now displayed at 300x200 pixels
• The scale factor is 0.5 (or 1/2)
• DPI = (1 / 0.5) * 72 = 2 * 72 = 144 DPI

Another example:

• You import a 1200x1200 pixel image
• You shrink it to 288x288 pixels (which is 4x4 inches in Figma)
• The scale factor is 288/1200 = 0.24
• DPI = (1 / 0.24) * 72 = 4.17 * 72 = 300 DPI

Calculating image size for a target DPI

Most of the time, you'll be working backwards: you know the size you want the image to appear in your design, and you know the DPI you're aiming for. Here's how to calculate the minimum image size you need to import:

Minimum Image Size = Display Size in Inches × Target DPI

Let's say you're designing a 5x7 inch postcard, and you want a photo to cover the entire thing at 300 DPI:

• (5 inches * 300 DPI) = 1500 pixels minimum width
• (7 inches * 300 DPI) = 2100 pixels minimum height

If your image is larger than these dimensions, that's even better - you'll have more DPI to work with.

Quick reference: common print sizes at 300 DPI

Here's a handy reference for the minimum image sizes needed to achieve 300 DPI at common print sizes:

Checking DPI in Figma

The manual way

You can calculate the DPI of any image in Figma using the formula from earlier. Here's the step-by-step process:

1. Select the image layer in Figma
2. Note the current width and height of the layer (shown in the right panel)
3. Click on the image fill to see the original image dimensions
4. Calculate: DPI = (Original Size / Current Size) * 72

This works, but it's tedious if you have a lot of images to check.

The easy way (Print for Figma)

The easiest way to check the DPI of your images is to use Print for Figma's DPI Checking feature. It automatically calculates and displays the DPI of every image in your design, highlighting any images that fall below your target resolution.

Common DPI pitfalls in Figma

Pitfall #1: Enlarging images past 100%

If you import an image and then scale it larger than its original size, you're decreasing its DPI. For example:

• Import a 500x500 pixel image
• Enlarge it to 1000x1000 pixels (200% scale)
• DPI = (1 / 2) * 72 = 36 DPI - way too low for print!

The rule is simple: never scale an image larger than its original dimensions if you care about print quality.

Pitfall #2: Figma's 4000px auto-scaling

Figma automatically downscales images that are larger than 4000 pixels in either dimension. This can be a problem for large-format designs like banners, posters, or tradeshow displays where you need really high-resolution images.

For example, if you're designing a 24x36 inch poster and want full coverage at 300 DPI, you'd need a 7200x10800 pixel image. Figma will automatically shrink this to fit within its 4000px limit, reducing your effective DPI.

Workarounds:

• Use a plugin like 'Insert Big Image' to split large images into multiple parts
• For large format printing, consider whether you really need 300 DPI (more on this below)
• Work with your print provider to determine acceptable resolutions for large format

Pitfall #3: Image fills vs. image layers

When you drag an image into Figma, it creates an image layer. But images can also exist as "fills" on shapes. Be careful: if you have a shape with an image fill, and you resize the shape, the image fill might tile or stretch depending on your fill settings.

Always double-check your image fill settings (Tile, Fill, Fit, Crop) to make sure the image is behaving as you expect.

When you don't need 300 DPI

300 DPI is the gold standard for close-viewing distance prints like business cards, brochures, and photos. But it's not always necessary:

Large format printing

For large banners, tradeshow displays, or billboards, viewers stand much farther away. At these viewing distances, you can get away with much lower DPI:

• Posters (2-3 feet viewing distance): 150-200 DPI
• Banners (5+ feet viewing distance): 100-150 DPI
• Billboards (20+ feet viewing distance): 20-50 DPI

Newspaper and some magazines

Traditional newspaper printing often uses 150-200 DPI due to the paper quality and printing process.

Digital printing vs. offset

Some digital print processes are more forgiving than traditional offset printing. Always ask your printer what their minimum requirements are.

Verifying DPI in your exported PDF

Once you've exported your PDF from Figma, you can verify the DPI of your images using Adobe Acrobat Pro:

1. Open the PDF in Acrobat Pro
2. Go to Tools > Print Production > Output Preview
3. Check "Object Inspector" and click on any image
4. The inspector will show you the image's effective resolution

This is a great way to double-check your work before sending files to the printer.

Putting it all together

Here's a simple workflow for achieving 300 DPI in Figma:

1. Calculate your frame size: Multiply your desired print dimensions by 72 to get your Figma frame size
2. Calculate minimum image sizes: Multiply each image's print dimensions by 300 to get the minimum pixel dimensions
3. Source appropriately sized images: Make sure all your images meet or exceed these minimums
4. Shrink, don't enlarge: Always scale images down, never up
5. Check your DPI: Use Print for Figma or manual calculations to verify all images are at or above 300 DPI
6. Export and verify: Export your PDF and double-check in Acrobat if needed

Conclusion

Figma is absolutely capable of producing print-ready designs at 300 DPI or higher. The key is understanding that DPI is per-image, not per-file, and that you control the DPI by sourcing appropriately sized images and scaling them down to fit your design.

The 72 PPI canvas resolution is just a reference point - it doesn't limit your output quality. With a bit of math (or a plugin like Print for Figma to do the math for you), you can produce professional print files that meet any printer's requirements.

If you have any questions about DPI in Figma, feel free to join the Print for Figma Discord Community - there's always someone happy to help!