📐 PX to Points Converter: Convert Pixels to Points (px to pt)

What is the PX to Points Converter?

A pixel (px) and a point (pt) both measure size, but they come from different worlds. The point is a typographic unit from the print era: there are exactly 72 points in one inch. The pixel is the basic unit of screen layout in CSS. The bridge between them is the CSS reference pixel, which the W3C defines so that 1 inch equals 96px. Put those two facts side by side and the whole conversion falls out: 96px and 72pt both describe one inch, so 96px = 72pt. Divide both sides by 96 and you get 1px = 0.75pt, which is the multiplier this tool uses.

That gives you two simple rules. To convert pixels to points, multiply the pixel value by 0.75: 16px x 0.75 = 12pt, 24px x 0.75 = 18pt, 8px x 0.75 = 6pt. To convert points to pixels, divide by 0.75 (which is the same as multiplying by 4/3): 12pt / 0.75 = 16px, 18pt / 0.75 = 24px. Because 0.75 is an exact fraction (three quarters), these conversions are precise, not approximations. The numbers only look messy when the input does not divide cleanly, for example 10px becomes 7.5pt.

The conversion assumes the standard CSS reference where 1 CSS inch is 96 CSS pixels. This is a fixed ratio in the CSS specification, not the physical pixel density of any particular screen. A modern phone might pack 400 or more physical dots into one inch, but CSS still treats 96px as one reference inch and scales the device pixels behind the scenes. That is exactly why the 0.75 factor is safe to rely on in a stylesheet: it is defined by the spec, so it does not change from one monitor to the next.

The em value shown alongside the result is a bonus for CSS work. One em equals the current font size, and browsers use 16px as the default root font size, so this tool computes em as px / 16. That means 16px is 1em, 24px is 1.5em, and 8px is 0.5em. Em is handy when you want sizes to scale with the user's font-size preference rather than being locked to a fixed pixel value, so seeing all three units together helps you pick the right one for each rule.

When to use it

• Translating a print style sheet or PDF spec given in points into the pixel values your CSS needs.
• Matching font sizes between a design tool that reports points and a website that uses pixels.
• Setting @media print styles in pt while keeping your on-screen layout in px.
• Checking that a 12pt body text requirement maps to the expected 16px on screen.
• Converting icon or spacing sizes from a Word or InDesign document into web units.
• Teaching or learning how CSS absolute units relate, with the em column as an extra reference.

How to use the PX to Points Converter

1. Type a pixel value into the Pixels (px) box to see the points and em equivalents update instantly.
2. Or type into the Points (pt) box instead, and the pixel value is filled in for you automatically.
3. Read the three result cards: points, pixels, and em (based on a 16px root).
4. Use Copy result to put the "px = pt" pairing on your clipboard.
5. Scroll to the reference table for the most common sizes (8 to 48px) at a glance.

Formula & method

Worked examples

Common pixel sizes with their point and em equivalents (96px = 72pt, 16px root)

Common point sizes converted the other way, to pixels

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using 1px = 1pt. Pixels and points are not the same size. A point is larger: 1px is only 0.75pt. Treating them as equal makes text about a third too big or too small, so always apply the 0.75 factor.
• Multiplying when you should divide. Going from px to pt you multiply by 0.75. Going from pt to px you divide by 0.75. Mixing up the direction turns 12pt into 9px instead of the correct 16px.
• Assuming the ratio depends on your screen. The 96px = 72pt reference is fixed by the CSS specification. It does not change with your monitor resolution or a phone's pixel density, so the 0.75 factor is always valid in CSS.
• Confusing points with em or rem. Points are an absolute unit tied to inches. Em and rem are relative to a font size. This tool shows em as a convenience (px / 16), but do not swap pt and em in a stylesheet, as they behave differently when users change their font size.

Glossary

Pixel (px)

The basic CSS length unit. Under the CSS reference, 96px equals one inch.

Point (pt)

A typographic unit from print. There are exactly 72 points in one inch.

CSS reference pixel

The W3C-defined pixel where 1 inch equals 96px, independent of a device's physical pixel density.

Em

A relative unit equal to the current font size. At the default 16px root, 1em is 16px.

DPI (dots per inch)

How many dots fit in one inch. CSS fixes its reference at 96 dots per inch regardless of the actual display.

Absolute unit

A unit with a fixed physical meaning, such as pt or in, as opposed to a relative unit like em.

Frequently asked questions