The most common US poster sizes are 11x17, 18x24, 24x36 and 27x40 inches. 24x36 is the size most people mean by "a poster." 27x40 is the movie one-sheet. 11x17 is the flyer-sized poster you pin to a noticeboard.
The chart below gives each size in inches and millimeters, with its aspect ratio and the pixel dimensions it needs at 300 and 150 pixels per inch. Print guides usually call this DPI. Strictly, DPI counts the ink dots a printer lays down, while PPI (pixels per inch) is the number of image pixels on each printed inch. PPI is the number that matters when you size a file, so this guide uses it from here on. 300 PPI is the standard for sharp prints. 150 is often acceptable for large posters that people view from a few feet away.
The rest of this guide covers what to do once you have your size. It shows how to check whether your image can print that large and how to crop a photo to the poster's shape. It also gives pixel sizes for posters that only appear on screens.
Standard Poster Sizes Chart
Portrait orientation is listed, width first. For a landscape poster, swap the numbers.
| Size (in) | Size (mm) | Aspect ratio | Pixels at 300 PPI | Pixels at 150 PPI | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5 x 11 | 216 x 279 | 17:22 | 2550 x 3300 | 1275 x 1650 | Letter, smallest standard poster |
| 11 x 14 | 279 x 356 | 11:14 | 3300 x 4200 | 1650 x 2100 | Framed photos, art prints |
| 11 x 17 | 279 x 432 | 11:17 | 3300 x 5100 | 1650 x 2550 | Bulletin boards, flyers |
| 12 x 16 | 305 x 406 | 3:4 | 3600 x 4800 | 1800 x 2400 | Art prints, phone photos |
| 12 x 18 | 305 x 457 | 2:3 | 3600 x 5400 | 1800 x 2700 | Small wall prints |
| 16 x 20 | 406 x 508 | 4:5 | 4800 x 6000 | 2400 x 3000 | Photo posters |
| 18 x 24 | 457 x 610 | 3:4 | 5400 x 7200 | 2700 x 3600 | Concert, event, storefront |
| 20 x 30 | 508 x 762 | 2:3 | 6000 x 9000 | 3000 x 4500 | Wall decor |
| 22 x 28 | 559 x 711 | 11:14 | 6600 x 8400 | 3300 x 4200 | Frames, displays |
| 24 x 36 | 610 x 914 | 2:3 | 7200 x 10800 | 3600 x 5400 | Large posters |
| 27 x 40 | 686 x 1016 | 27:40 | 8100 x 12000 | 4050 x 6000 | Movie one-sheet |
| 40 x 60 | 1016 x 1524 | 2:3 | 12000 x 18000 | 6000 x 9000 | Bus stop, lobby displays |
The pixel columns are plain arithmetic: inches multiplied by PPI. A 24x36 poster at 300 PPI is 7200x10800 pixels, which matches Moda's size guide. If another chart gives a different pixel count for the same size and resolution, one of its numbers is wrong.
A few relationships in the chart are worth knowing:
- 11x17 is US Tabloid paper, exactly twice Letter size. Office printers that handle tabloid can print it.
- 2:3 is the most scalable family. 12x18, 20x30, 24x36 and 40x60 share it, so one design resizes to all four without cropping.
- 3:4 covers 12x16 and 18x24. It is also the shape of an upright photo from a phone camera that shoots 4:3.
- 11x14 and 22x28 share a ratio. A design for one scales exactly to the other.
- 27x40 stands alone. The one-sheet ratio matches nothing else in the chart. A 24x36 design needs cropping or extra background to fit it.
For international printers, Thomas Group Printing gives the closest ISO equivalents:
- Letter is closest to A4 (210 x 297 mm).
- 11x17 is closest to A3 (297 x 420 mm).
- 16x20 is closest to A2 (420 x 594 mm).
- 18x24 is closest to B2 (500 x 707 mm).
- 24x36 is closest to A1 (594 x 841 mm).
- 27x40 is closest to B1 (707 x 1000 mm).
These are near matches, not identical sizes. The A sizes use a different ratio from US sizes, so a US design sent to an A-size printer needs a small crop or margin.
Print shops also usually ask for bleed. Bleed is extra image that extends past the trim line, so that no white edge shows if the cut is slightly off. Thomas Group asks for 0.125 inch on each side. At 300 PPI, 0.125 inch on each side adds 75 pixels to the total width and 75 to the total height. A 24x36-inch file with that bleed is 7275x10875 pixels.
How Large Can Your Image Print?
Divide the image's pixel width and height by the PPI. The result is the largest print size in inches at that quality.
Pixels ÷ PPI = inches
Here is what that means for image sizes people commonly have:
| Image size (px) | Max print at 300 PPI | Max print at 150 PPI |
|---|---|---|
| 1080 x 1350 (Instagram portrait) | 3.6 x 4.5 in | 7.2 x 9 in |
| 1600 x 900 | 5.3 x 3 in | 10.7 x 6 in |
| 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) | 6.4 x 3.6 in | 12.8 x 7.2 in |
| 2560 x 1440 (2K) | 8.5 x 4.8 in | 17.1 x 9.6 in |
| 4000 x 3000 (12 MP phone) | 13.3 x 10 in | 26.7 x 20 in |
The gap for large posters is wide. A 24x36 print at 300 PPI needs 7200x10800 pixels. That is roughly 21 times the pixel count of a 2560x1440 image. Even at 150 PPI, 24x36 needs 3600x5400.
Cropping changes the math, because you print only the part of the image you keep. Take a 2560x1440 landscape image:
- Cropped to Letter landscape (11 x 8.5), you keep about 1863x1440 pixels. That prints Letter at about 170 PPI.
- Cropped to a 2:3 portrait, you keep 960x1440 pixels. That is only 6.4 x 9.6 inches at 150 PPI.
Where is the line between acceptable and soft? Moda's guide treats 300 as the benchmark. It notes that 150 to 250 may be accepted for larger posters viewed from a distance. Below about 150 PPI, softness shows at arm's length, and at poster scale your eye is often closer than you expect. If your image falls short, pick a smaller poster. A sharp 11x14 looks better than a blurry 24x36.
Cropping Photos to Poster Ratios
Most images do not start in a poster's shape. You either crop the image or add background around it. The table shows how much of the original you keep when you crop to fill the poster.
| Your image | Into 2:3 portrait (24x36) | Into 3:4 portrait (18x24) | Into 27:40 (one-sheet) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16:9 landscape (screenshot, video frame) | 37.5% of width | 42% of width | 38% of width |
| 3:2 landscape (camera photo) | 44% of width | 50% of width | 45% of width |
| 2:3 portrait (camera turned upright) | 100%, exact fit | 89% of height | 99% of height |
| 3:4 portrait (4:3 phone photo, upright) | 89% of width | 100%, exact fit | 90% of width |
| 9:16 portrait (phone screen, Stories) | 84% of height | 75% of height | 83% of height |
Two conclusions follow from this table.
Landscape images make poor portrait posters. Cropping a 16:9 frame to 2:3 keeps a narrow central strip and discards more than 60% of the width. If the subject is centered and upright, such as a single person or a lighthouse, this can work. A wide scene will not survive it. Use a landscape poster instead, or place the image in the top half of the design and put text below it.
Match the source to the poster family. Upright camera photos fit the 2:3 family exactly. If your phone shoots 4:3, its upright photos fit 18x24 and 12x16 exactly. A 9:16 phone screenshot loses its top and bottom whichever poster you choose, so keep text and faces away from those edges.
To crop and resize an image to a size from the chart:
- Open the image in the ImgSearch photo editor. Cropping and resizing need no sign-up, and the download carries no watermark. The editor accepts JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP and SVG files as input.
- Crop to the poster's proportions, for example 2:3 for 24x36 or 3:4 for 18x24.
- Position the crop to decide what stays. Keep faces and headlines at least 0.5 inch inside the final edge, allowing for bleed.
- Resize to custom dimensions, entering the pixel size from the chart, such as 3600x5400 for 24x36 at 150 PPI.
- Download the result and confirm its pixel dimensions match the chart before you send it to print.
Resizing sets the pixel count. It cannot restore detail the original never had. If step 4 enlarges the image several times over, check a 100% zoom before sending it to print.
If you also need the artwork, ImgSearch's library allows commercial use on every plan, including the free tier, though restrictions may apply to resale and redistribution. Free downloads are 1600x900, five a day; paid plans download at 2K. Those files suit screen posters and smaller prints, but check the dimensions after cropping, not before. A 2560x1440 landscape image cropped to an 11x14 portrait keeps about 1131x1440 pixels, which is roughly 103 PPI at that size. The library is AI-generated, so look closely at hands, small text in the scene and fine patterns before you commit to a print. Enlargement makes flaws easier to see.
Digital Poster Sizes for Screens and Social Media
Posters that live on Instagram, a website or a lobby screen are measured in pixels only. PPI has no effect on screen. As ImgSearch's design guides explain, pixel dimensions are what matter for digital use.
| Where it appears | Pixels | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram feed, portrait | 1080 x 1350 | 4:5 |
| Instagram or Facebook Stories, Reels cover | 1080 x 1920 | 9:16 |
| Square feed post | 1080 x 1080 | 1:1 |
| Portrait digital signage | 1080 x 1920 or 2160 x 3840 | 9:16 |
| Landscape screen or email header | 1920 x 1080 | 16:9 |
The portrait feed size of 1080x1350 has the same 4:5 ratio as a 16x20 print. An event poster designed for the feed can also print at 16x20 without cropping, provided the source artwork has enough pixels for print. A 1080x1350 file on its own prints sharply only up to about 7x9 inches at 150 PPI.
For a 9:16 Story poster, keep text out of the top and bottom 250 pixels or so. The app's interface covers those areas.
Setting Up a Poster Canvas in Common Tools
Set the canvas to the final poster size before you place anything. A design scaled up at the end tends to end up with the wrong margins and text that is too small. Whatever layout tool you use, the same three settings decide whether the file prints correctly.
- Trim size: the finished size after cutting, such as 24x36 inches. Enter it in inches, not pixels, if the tool allows.
- Bleed: if color or image runs to the edge, add 0.125 inch per side, so a 24x36 canvas becomes 24.25x36.25. Keep text and faces at least 0.5 inch inside the trim line.
- Final-size text: set type at the size it will print, so what you judge on screen is what people read. If a tool caps the page size, PosterPresentations notes a 56x56 inch maximum in PowerPoint, design at half scale and print at 200%. Text doubles along with everything else, so 20pt becomes 40pt.
When you export for print, make sure the file keeps its full resolution. Some tools export images at screen resolution, so a PDF is usually the safer choice. Place each photo already cropped to the frame it fills and resized to the pixels it needs, using the steps above.
Text Size by Viewing Distance
A working rule from sign making: allow about 1 inch of capital-letter height for every 10 feet of viewing distance. This is a rule of thumb, not a standard. It gives a reasonable starting point.
The table below applies that rule. Treat it as illustrative starting points, not established requirements.
| Viewing distance | Headline cap height | Body text | Poster size to start from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 ft (noticeboard) | 0.5 in or more | 24 pt | 11x17 |
| 5 ft (hallway) | 0.75-1 in | 30-36 pt | 18x24 |
| 10 ft (across a room) | 1-1.5 in | 0.5 in letters | 24x36 |
| 20 ft (storefront from the sidewalk) | 2-3 in | Keep it to a few words | 24x36 or 27x40 |
For scale, a 72pt headline has capitals roughly 0.7 inch tall. The exact height depends on the typeface.
What fits on a given poster depends on letter count, typeface and layout. A short headline in large capitals leaves more room than a long one. Research posters are a special case: Moda cites roughly 24-36pt body text with a title two to three times larger.
To test, print the headline at full size on Letter paper, tape it where the poster will go, and read it from where people will stand.
Finding Poster Artwork You Can Print
Your artwork has to meet two requirements: enough pixels for the print size, and a license that allows your use.
On licensing, read the terms for the specific use. Using an image in your own promotional poster for a shop sale, a gig, a class or a product launch is a different case from selling the unaltered image as the product itself, such as through a wall print shop. Licenses that allow the first often restrict the second.
On resolution, work from the tables above rather than the file's description. Check the actual pixel dimensions after you crop, and divide by the PPI you need. A full-bleed 24x36 at 300 PPI needs 7200x10800 pixels, and no file of around 2K fills it, whatever its source. For a large poster, use the image as one element in a layout with a solid or gradient background, or choose a smaller format.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a poster 24x36?
Often, yes. 24x36 inches is the standard large poster and the size most people picture. It has a 2:3 ratio and needs 7200x10800 pixels at 300 PPI. It is not the only standard, though: 11x17, 18x24 and 27x40 are all common.
Are posters A3 or A4?
In countries that use ISO paper, small posters are commonly A3 (297 x 420 mm) and flyers are A4. In the US, the nearest equivalents are 11x17 and Letter (8.5x11). Larger ISO posters use A2, A1 or the B sizes.
Is 18x24 a standard poster size?
Yes. 18x24 inches is a standard size for concert, event and storefront posters, with a 3:4 ratio. At 300 PPI it needs 5400x7200 pixels. Its closest international size is B2.
Is 22x28 a standard poster size?
It is an established size, especially for frames and displays. It shares the 11:14 ratio of 11x14, so a design for one scales exactly to the other. At 300 PPI it needs 6600x8400 pixels.
What size is a movie poster?
The US one-sheet is 27x40 inches, with a 27:40 ratio. At 300 PPI that is 8100x12000 pixels. A 24x36 design will not fit it without cropping or extra background.
What DPI should a poster be?
Use 300 PPI (what most print guides call 300 DPI) for posters viewed up close, such as Letter, 11x17 and 18x24. For 24x36 and larger, viewed from a few feet away, 150-250 is usually accepted. Screen-only posters need pixel dimensions only, and DPI does not matter for them.
Can I print a phone photo as a poster?
A 12-megapixel phone photo (about 4000x3000) prints at 13x10 inches at 300 PPI, or about 26x20 at 150 PPI. If your phone shoots 4:3, an upright photo is 3:4, so it fits 18x24 and 12x16 without cropping. Screenshots and photos saved from social apps are much smaller and print only a few inches wide.
Do I need bleed on my poster file?
Yes, if the image or color runs to the edge and a shop trims the print. A 0.125-inch bleed on each side is common. Keep text and faces well inside the trim line.
Final Thoughts
Pick the poster size from where it will hang and how far away people will read it. Then check that your image has the pixels for that size: divide by 300, or by 150 for large posters. Crop to the poster's ratio before you resize, so you decide what is cut rather than leaving it to the printer.
For posters on screens, and for small prints, a 2K image can be enough, but only the cropped file's actual dimensions tell you. Compare them against the chart for your target before you send anything out. For a design-level walkthrough of layout and hierarchy, our poster design guide from May 2026 picks up where this sizing guide ends.
