Camera and phone marketing loves big megapixel numbers. But a higher count doesn’t automatically mean better photos, and most of what people do with their pictures needs far fewer pixels than they think.
What a megapixel is
A megapixel (MP) is one million pixels. To find your image’s megapixels, multiply width by height and divide by a million. A 4000 x 3000 photo is 12,000,000 pixels, so 12 MP. See what is a pixel for the basics.
How many megapixels for common uses
- Websites and blogs: a full-width image of 1600 x 1000 is only 1.6 MP.
- Social media posts: around 1 to 2 MP is plenty. A 1080 x 1350 Instagram post is about 1.5 MP.
- Full HD screen wallpaper: about 2 MP. A 4K screen needs about 8 MP.
- 4 x 6 inch print at 300 PPI: 1200 x 1800, about 2.2 MP.
- 8 x 10 inch print at 300 PPI: 2400 x 3000, 7.2 MP.
- 16 x 20 inch print at 300 PPI: 4800 x 6000, 28.8 MP. Large prints are viewed from further away, so lower PPI works, and 10 to 20 MP often suffices.
The math behind print sizes is in converting pixels, inches and centimeters.
Why a 12 MP phone photo is already more than enough
For nearly every online use, a 12 MP image has several times more pixels than will ever be displayed. That’s why resizing before uploading makes sense. See reducing file size.
When more megapixels help
- Heavy cropping. If you crop to a small part of the frame, extra pixels give you something left to work with.
- Large prints. Posters and wall art benefit from more detail.
- Commercial work. Clients might require large files for flexibility.
When megapixels don’t matter much
Image quality depends on several things beyond pixel count: sensor size, lens quality, lighting, noise, stabilization and processing. A 12 MP image from a large sensor in good light can look better than a 50 MP image from a tiny sensor in dim conditions. Pixel count only sets the ceiling for detail. It doesn’t guarantee it.
The costs of more megapixels
- Bigger files that fill storage faster
- Slower processing and uploads
- Possibly more noise per pixel on small sensors
Megapixels and video
Video frames are small by comparison. A 4K frame is about 8.3 MP, and 1080p is about 2.1 MP. That’s why stills pulled from video are less detailed than photos. See video resolution explained.
Quick guide
For online use, you’re fine with 2 MP. For most prints, 8 to 12 MP is more than enough. Choose your camera on image quality and features, not just the megapixel count.
Check your own photo
To see how many pixels an image has, see how to check an image’s dimensions and file size. Then use our free image resizer to set the dimensions you need.