Print Preflight & DPI Checker

DPI, Print Size & Artwork Resolution Checker — right-click any JPG, PNG, WebP or TIFF and instantly see whether it has enough resolution for professional printing, from A6 flyers to A0 posters.

What it shows

• exact pixel dimensions, megapixels, orientation and aspect ratio
• effective DPI at every ISO A-series size (A0–A6)
• a clear verdict per size: Excellent / Good / Acceptable for large-format / Low / Not recommended
• the recommended maximum print size
• a deterministic print-readiness score (0–100) with the formula shown
• a warning when proportions will not fit an A-series sheet without cropping

Privacy

Your file never leaves your machine. Dimensions are read from the file header by the extension itself — nothing is uploaded, no telemetry, no tracking of any kind.

Installation

1. In VS Code, open the Extensions panel (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X on Mac)
2. Search for "Print Preflight" or "DPI checker"
3. Click Install — no configuration, no account, nothing else to set up

Or install from the command line:

code --install-extension silver-image.silver-image-print-preflight

Usage

• Right-click a supported image in the Explorer → Silver Image: Check File for Print
• or run the same command from the Command Palette and pick a file.

Rule of thumb

300 DPI is the standard for material read at arm's length. Banners and posters viewed from a few metres stay sharp at 150 DPI. Acceptable resolution always depends on viewing distance, artwork type and source-image quality.

FAQ

Does it upload my file anywhere? No. The file is read locally by the extension process. You can verify this — the extension makes no network requests at all.

Which formats are supported? JPG/JPEG, PNG, WebP and TIFF (both little- and big-endian).

Does it work with huge files? Yes — only the file header is parsed, so a 200 MB TIFF is checked in milliseconds without loading the image.

Why does it say my photo is only good up to A2? DPI is pixels divided by print size. A 12 MP phone photo simply does not have enough pixels for a sharp A0 — the verdict tells you the largest size that will look right. The rule of thumb below explains the thresholds.

Do I need VS Code to use the checker? No — the same checker runs in any browser at silverimagelondon.com/tools/print-preflight.

Built by Silver Image Print & Signs — 24/7 print, signage and display production in London.