Print files
Etsy Digital Download Print File Sizes (300 DPI Guide)
State the maximum print size at 300 DPI (pixels ÷ 300) right in your listing, and deliver files that match. Don’t promise a 24×36 poster from a 3600-pixel file.
Direct answer
For Etsy digital downloads, export each ratio at 300 DPI and state the maximum print size as pixel width ÷ 300 by pixel height ÷ 300. A 3600×5400 file prints a true 12×18 at 300 DPI, not a 24×36. Offer several files (4:5, 2:3, ISO A) from one focal point so buyers can match whatever frame they already own, and never zip up a 1080p mockup and call it a print file.
Physical print listings have a shop somewhere catching bad files before they ship. Digital listings just hand the buyer a home printer and hope for the best. “Prints up to poster size” copy that isn’t true is exactly how you end up with one-star reviews months later.
Etsy’s own file-size limits also cap what you can attach to a listing. Plan your ratios so they fit that cap without crushing JPEG quality down to 40%.
Label inches, not adjectives
“High resolution” doesn’t tell a buyer anything. “3600×5400 px, prints 12×18 inches at 300 DPI” is a promise you can keep. Put that line in your first image overlay and in the description.
If your pack includes several ratios, put them in a table. A buyer with an 8×10 frame needs the 4:5 file, not the 2:3 poster file and a pair of scissors.
| File | Pixels | Max 300 DPI print |
|---|---|---|
| 4:5 | 2400 × 3000 | 8 × 10 in |
| 2:3 | 3600 × 5400 | 12 × 18 in |
| ISO A | 2480 × 3508 | A4 |
| 11:14 | 3300 × 4200 | 11 × 14 in |
Don’t sell sizes you never actually exported
A “bonus 18×24” that’s really your 12×16 file scaled up comes out at 200 DPI. Either export a genuine 5400×7200 file from a large enough original, or leave 18×24 off the listing. See keeping resolution when cropping for why this matters.
Give buyers home-printing instructions
Tell buyers to print at 100% or “actual size,” never “fit to page.” Borderless if they want edge-to-edge and their printer supports it, and always sRGB JPG. If all they have is Letter paper, they shouldn’t “fit” an A3 file to it — point them to the A4 or 8×10 file in the same pack instead.
FAQ: Etsy digital download print file sizes
What size should an Etsy printable be?+
Whatever your leftover pixels support at 300 DPI. State that size clearly. Common packs include 8×10, 11×14, 12×18, and A4 as separate files.
Does Etsy require 300 DPI for digital downloads?+
Etsy doesn’t print the file — your buyer’s print shop does. 300 DPI plus honest inches is how you avoid “blurry download” reviews.
How do I calculate print size from pixel dimensions?+
Divide each side by 300. A 2400×3000 file prints 8×10 inches at 300 DPI.
Can I include one giant JPEG that fits every frame size?+
Only if you also explain how to crop it. Most buyers will just print the whole file with empty bars, or stretch it to fit. Separate files for each ratio are kinder to them.
