Calculate Icon

Icon Pixel Size Calculator

Use this calculator to determine the precise pixel dimensions an icon should have for various display densities, ensuring crisp and consistent visuals across different devices and resolutions.

Enter the desired size of your icon in Density-Independent Pixels (e.g., 24 for Material Design icons).

Specify the Dots Per Inch (DPI) of the target display (e.g., 160 for mdpi, 320 for xhdpi, 480 for xxhdpi).

The reference DPI for 1x assets. For Android, this is typically 160 DPI (mdpi).

function calculateIconPixels() { var targetIconSizeDP = parseFloat(document.getElementById('targetIconSizeDP').value); var displayDensityDPI = parseFloat(document.getElementById('displayDensityDPI').value); var baseDensityDPI = parseFloat(document.getElementById('baseDensityDPI').value); if (isNaN(targetIconSizeDP) || isNaN(displayDensityDPI) || isNaN(baseDensityDPI) || targetIconSizeDP <= 0 || displayDensityDPI <= 0 || baseDensityDPI <= 0) { document.getElementById('iconResult').innerHTML = 'Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields.'; return; } var calculatedPixels = targetIconSizeDP * (displayDensityDPI / baseDensityDPI); document.getElementById('iconResult').innerHTML = '

Calculated Icon Size:

' + 'For a ' + targetIconSizeDP + ' DP icon on a ' + displayDensityDPI + ' DPI display (with ' + baseDensityDPI + ' DPI as 1x base), the optimal pixel size is:' + " + calculatedPixels.toFixed(2) + ' pixels'; }

Understanding Icon Pixel Sizing for Different Displays

In the world of user interface (UI) design and frontend development, ensuring your icons look sharp and consistent across a myriad of devices with varying screen densities is crucial. This is where understanding concepts like Density-Independent Pixels (DP) and Dots Per Inch (DPI) becomes invaluable. Our Icon Pixel Size Calculator helps you bridge the gap between design specifications and actual pixel dimensions.

What are Density-Independent Pixels (DP)?

Density-Independent Pixels (DP or DIP) are a flexible unit that scales to a uniform size on any screen density. This means a 24dp icon will appear roughly the same physical size on a low-density screen as it does on a high-density screen. DP is widely used in Android development and Material Design guidelines to ensure UI elements maintain consistent sizing regardless of the device's pixel density.

What is Dots Per Inch (DPI)?

DPI, or Dots Per Inch, is a measure of spatial dot density, specifically the number of individual dots that can be placed in a line within the span of 1 inch. In digital displays, it refers to the pixel density of a screen. Higher DPI screens pack more pixels into the same physical space, resulting in sharper images and text. Common DPI categories for mobile devices include:

• mdpi (Medium Density): 160 DPI (often considered the 1x baseline)
• hdpi (High Density): 240 DPI (1.5x mdpi)
• xhdpi (Extra High Density): 320 DPI (2x mdpi)
• xxhdpi (Extra Extra High Density): 480 DPI (3x mdpi)
• xxxhdpi (Triple Extra High Density): 640 DPI (4x mdpi)

The Importance of Icon Scaling

Without proper scaling, an icon designed for a low-density screen would appear tiny on a high-density screen, or a high-resolution icon might look blurry if simply scaled down without considering the target density. By calculating the precise pixel size, designers and developers can create or select icon assets that are perfectly optimized for each density, preventing pixelation or unnecessary resource bloat.

How the Calculation Works

The formula to convert a Density-Independent Pixel (DP) value to actual screen pixels is straightforward:

Pixels = DP × (Target Display Density DPI / Base Density DPI)

Let's break down the components:

• Target Icon Size (DP): Your desired icon size in density-independent units.
• Target Display Density (DPI): The DPI of the screen where the icon will be displayed.
• Base Density (DPI) for 1x Assets: This is the reference density where 1dp equals 1 pixel. For Android, this is typically 160 DPI (mdpi). If you're designing for web and have a 1x asset, you might consider 96 DPI or 72 DPI as a base, though DP is less common in pure web contexts without specific frameworks.

Example Scenarios:

Let's say you have a standard Material Design icon size of 24dp, and your base density for 1x assets is 160 DPI:

• For an xhdpi device (320 DPI):
  Pixels = 24 DP × (320 DPI / 160 DPI) = 24 × 2 = 48 pixels
  So, your 24dp icon should be 48×48 pixels for xhdpi.
• For an xxhdpi device (480 DPI):
  Pixels = 24 DP × (480 DPI / 160 DPI) = 24 × 3 = 72 pixels
  Your 24dp icon should be 72×72 pixels for xxhdpi.
• For an xxxhdpi device (640 DPI):
  Pixels = 24 DP × (640 DPI / 160 DPI) = 24 × 4 = 96 pixels
  Your 24dp icon should be 96×96 pixels for xxxhdpi.

By using this calculator, you can quickly determine the correct pixel dimensions for your icon assets, ensuring they always look sharp and appropriately sized across the diverse landscape of modern displays.