How to use the poster printer (print large image on multiple pages)
- Choose a picture (PNG, JPEG, WebP, GIF, BMP or AVIF). The page shows its size in pixels.
- Pick pages across, the paper size and orientation, the page margin your printer needs and the overlap between pages. The line under the settings shows the finished poster size, the number of pages, and the picture detail in pixels per inch.
- Keep the dashed guide lines and labels on if you want help when assembling. Press Create poster PDF and download.
- Print the PDF at actual size (100%, not fit to page), trim the pages along the dashed lines where they overlap, and join them in label order: A, B, C across and 1, 2, 3 down.
A 1600 by 1200 picture on Letter pages
With Letter paper (612 by 792 points), 0.25 inch margins and 0.5 inch overlap, the printable area of each page is 576 by 756 points. Each extra page across adds 540 points, which is 576 minus the 36 point overlap. Three pages across give a poster 576 + 2 x 540 = 1,656 points wide, or 23 inches, and 58.4 centimeters.
The picture is scaled by 1,656 / 1,600 = 1.035, so it becomes 1,242 points tall, or 17.25 inches. One row holds only 756 points, so two rows are needed, and the poster takes 6 pages. The picture has 1,600 pixels over 23 inches, about 70 pixels per inch, which is fine from a distance and soft up close. Page B2 shows the picture moved 540 points left and 720 points up compared with page A1.
How the pieces fit
Each page shows a window onto the enlarged picture. Neighboring windows overlap by the amount you choose, so the same strip of picture appears at the right edge of one page and the left edge of the next. Trim one side of each overlap and glue or tape the pages with the edges matching. With no overlap, pages meet exactly at the printable edge, which needs a printer that can print to the paper edge or careful cutting.
Pages are labeled by column letter and row number, such as A1 for the top left and C2 for the third page in the second row. The label sits in the page margin so it is cut off when you trim.
Getting a sharp poster
The picture detail figure is the number of picture pixels per inch of finished poster. About 150 pixels per inch looks sharp at arm length, and posters viewed from several feet away look fine at lower values. A small picture enlarged a lot looks blurry, which is physics rather than a fault, so use the largest, sharpest original you have. The PDF keeps up to about 200 pixels per inch of the poster, which keeps the file a sensible size.
To check how large a picture can print before you start, use the image DPI print size calculator. To resize a picture first use the image resizer, to cut a picture into a grid of separate images use the image splitter, and to put pictures into a PDF use image to PDF.
Assumptions and limits
- The picture keeps its proportions and is enlarged to the width you choose. The last row may have blank space below the picture.
- At most 10 pages across and 100 pages in total can be made.
- Pictures with transparency are placed on white. SVG files are not accepted.
- Printers differ in how close to the edge they can print, so choose a margin your printer can handle and print a test page first.
Frequently asked questions
How do I print a large picture on multiple pages?
Choose the picture, set how many pages wide the poster should be, and create the PDF. Print every page at actual size, trim the overlaps and join the pages in label order.
What does the overlap do?
Overlap repeats a strip of the picture on neighboring pages. It gives you extra paper to trim and glue, so the pieces line up even if the printer does not print to the exact edge.
Why does my poster look blurry?
The picture does not have enough pixels for that size. The page shows pixels per inch, and values under about 100 look soft from close up. Use a larger original or fewer pages across.
Is my picture uploaded to make the PDF?
No. The picture is cut and enlarged in your browser and the PDF is saved from there, so the picture never leaves your device.