What size should you design a poster? US and international sizes
Design a poster at its final print size, or at a scaled copy of it, at 300 DPI. In the US the common sizes are 11 x 17, 18 x 24 and 24 x 36 inches; elsewhere they are ISO A sizes such as A3 and A2. Add 0.125 inch of bleed and keep text inside the trim.
What are the standard US poster sizes?
US poster sizes are conventions, not a standard, and printers list the same handful. The pixel counts below are for 300 DPI, which is the number you multiply by the inches, and the millimeters are converted from inches.
- 11 x 17 in (279 x 432 mm): 3300 x 5100 px. It matches US Tabloid paper.
- 18 x 24 in (457 x 610 mm): 5400 x 7200 px.
- 24 x 36 in (610 x 914 mm): 7200 x 10800 px. A print shop's size guide calls it the most common wall size.
- 27 x 40 in (686 x 1016 mm): 8100 x 12000 px, the movie one-sheet.
The ratios differ: 11 x 17 is about 1.55 to 1, 18 x 24 is 1.33 and 24 x 36 is 1.5. A layout that works at one size will not simply scale to another, so plan the format before you start.
What are the international (ISO A) poster sizes?
Outside North America posters usually follow the ISO 216 A series, where every size is half the one above it. At 300 DPI the sizes below come to these pixel counts, rounded to the nearest pixel.
- A4: 210 x 297 mm (8.27 x 11.69 in), 2480 x 3508 px.
- A3: 297 x 420 mm (11.69 x 16.54 in), 3508 x 4961 px.
- A2: 420 x 594 mm (16.54 x 23.39 in), 4961 x 7016 px.
- A1: 594 x 841 mm (23.39 x 33.11 in), 7016 x 9933 px.
- A0: 841 x 1189 mm (33.11 x 46.81 in), 9933 x 14043 px.
The millimeter values are from ISO 216. Because the ratio stays at 1 to 1.414, a design built for A3 scales to A2 or A1 without cropping. It does not scale to 18 x 24 inches: that is a different shape, so extend the background or move the type.
How much bleed does a poster need?
Add 0.125 inch of bleed on all four sides, and keep text and logos at least 0.25 inch inside the trim line. These are the figures in the same size guide, which gives an 18 x 24 inch poster as an 18.25 x 24.25 inch file, or 5475 x 7275 px at 300 DPI.
Bleed means background color or imagery that runs past the trim, so a cutting error does not leave a white edge. In millimeters 0.125 inch is about 3.2 mm. Printers set their own numbers, so download the template for the product you order and trust it over any general rule.
What DPI should a poster file be?
Use 300 DPI for posters up to 24 x 36 inches. The same guide says 150 DPI is fine for larger formats viewed from a distance, and that below 150 DPI pixelation becomes visible.
DPI is only pixels divided by inches, so the number on a file means nothing without the print size. A 36 x 48 inch poster at 150 DPI needs 5400 x 7200 px, the same pixel count as an 18 x 24 poster at 300. That is how a large layout stays at a workable file size.
Distance is the reason lower is acceptable. At arm's length a viewer sees the dot structure, and across a room they do not. If a poster will be read from a few feet away, stay at 300. Photos and raster textures need the pixels; vector type and shapes do not, because they are drawn at the printer's resolution.
How do I set up a poster file in Figma or Photoshop?
In Photoshop, choose File, New, enter the size including bleed, and set the resolution to 300 pixels per inch. Pull guides from the rulers to mark the trim and the 0.25 inch safe area, then save a PDF or the format your printer asks for.
Figma has no DPI setting, because a frame is measured in pixels. Make the frame as large as the pixel counts above, or design at half size and export at a larger scale multiplier. Use one frame with the bleed, a second rectangle for the trim, and keep the bleed art on its own layer so you can switch it off. Check your printer's color requirements first, since Figma works in RGB.
How do I check a poster design on a mockup?
Put the finished design into a poster scene before you send it to print. It shows how the layout reads at a distance, how much of the edge a frame hides, and whether small type survives.
In the mockup generator, drop or paste the design on the poster and export a PNG. Scenes that come in regional sizes have an EU and US switch, and you choose the size first, then add the design, as the EU and US sizes guide explains. Not every scene has it, and the exact paper size inside a scene differs from scene to scene. The free letter size poster scene is labeled 8.5 x 11 inches in its artwork, so check the scene before you trust its proportions. Browse all poster mockups to find one.
Poster mockup examples
These scenes from the ls.graphics library suit different poster formats and moods:
- Hanging poster on an orange wall, a clean portrait view for an illustrated print
- Two framed prints leaning on a wall, for gallery or interior presentations
- Letter size sheet in a clear wall mount, labeled 8.5 x 11 inches
- Torn glossy poster, US version, for street and campaign work
- Torn simple poster, EU version, a crumpled blue and pink sheet
FAQ
What is the most common poster size?
In the US it is 24 x 36 inches for wall posters, with 18 x 24 close behind. Elsewhere A2 and A3 are common. Ask what the venue or frame takes before you choose.
Is A2 the same as 18 x 24 inches?
No. A2 is 420 x 594 mm, about 16.5 x 23.4 inches, and 18 x 24 inches is 457 x 610 mm. An A2 frame will not take an 18 x 24 print.
How many pixels is an A3 poster?
3508 x 4961 px at 300 DPI. At 150 DPI the same poster needs 1754 x 2480 px.
Can I print a poster from a 72 DPI file?
The DPI tag does not matter, the pixel count does. A file 1800 x 2400 px prints an 18 x 24 inch poster at 100 DPI, which is below the 150 DPI where pixelation becomes visible.