A problem with modern amateur photography is that it is predominantly digital-based. Most camera phones of today by far outperform professional-level cameras of the past. Each year, the gap closes between camera phones and standalone cameras. However, most of the photos we take with our phones are designed to be posted on social media platforms and websites.

When photos are taken from these sources, they can be difficult to print well while maintaining a high-quality image. For printing, the most critical factor is dots per inch (DPI). The higher the concentration of dots, the better quality your image will be. For high-quality printed photos, around 300 DPI is desirable. Quality ink or Canon toner cartridges can also help produce high-grade prints.

If you’re struggling to print a photo of adequate quality, you’re most likely encountering sizing issues. Fortunately, there are several ways to resize a photo for print without losing quality. The following guide takes you through the steps to achieve great-looking prints.

The Native Computer Editing Tool Technique

If DPI is the issue, your computer’s standard photo editing software should be sufficient to adjust the DPI. Here are the key steps:

Open the image file in preview mode.
Click on “Tools” on your menu bar.
In the dropdown, find “Adjust Size” and click on it. From here, you should be able to see different options for adjusting, such as “Width,” “Height” and “Resolution.”
Select “inches” for height and width. Choose “pixels/inch” for Resolution.
Ensure the “Resample Image” box is unchecked.
Set the Resolution to 300 pixels/inch or the highest possible number. The maximum width and height dimensions will adjust automatically.
When the image is resized to your desired dimensions, click “OK.”You can then save the file.
It is important to note that the aspect ratio doesn’t have to be perfect, as the image can be cropped easily.

Depending on the maximum DPI, you can experiment with different levels to determine how large you can make the image without losing quality. Find a balance between your desired size and quality before printing.

The Scanning Technique

Printing a smaller image at the highest possible DPI, and then scanning and printing, is a trick for enlarging a photo. This can be a highly effective way to maximize the size of a print while maintaining quality. However, it is dependent on the resolution of your scanner. A high-resolution scanner is capable of quadrupling the size of an image.

Similar to digital images, resizing with scanners comes down to DPI capabilities. Many regular scanners found in people’s homes can scan images at up to 1,200 DPI. This allows them to create quality images of much greater size than the original.

While many scanners are capable of 1,200 DPI scanning, they’re unlikely to be set to this number by default. You must first adjust the settings to 1,200 DPI. When you scan the file, you’ll have to alter the resolution of the digital file. This process is the same as the native computer editing method.

In addition to a high-quality scanner, it’s also important to have a printer with good native resolution. Otherwise, it won’t be capable of printing at high quality, regardless of the image size. Invest in good photo ink such as Canon ink cartridges for maximum quality.

For downsizing images, you never need to reduce the resolution.

Photoshop Method

If you have access to Adobe Photoshop, this is perhaps the best way to resize a photo or print. However, this software can be tricky to use, so you may want to familiarize yourself with it before attempting Photoshop editing. The following steps will help you to resize your photo exactly how you want to.

Resizing

Open your image in Photoshop.
Click the size dialogue box to bring up the “Width,” “Height” and “Resolution” options.
Set the resolution to 300 DPI, and then adjust the “Width” or “Height” to your desired size. Photoshop automatically adjusts to maintain the correct aspect ratio.
If enlarging the image reduces the DPI, you may have to upsample it to increase the quality.
Note that resizing an image will likely result in the file changing size. This is important if you have limited storage space and are editing multiple photos.

Upsampling

Upsampling involves increasing the quality (DPI) of the image manually. While all images have a maximum ceiling for quality, many photos can be upsampled effectively. Here are the key steps

Under the “Resolution” section in the dialogue box, tick the box next to “Resample.”
Enter your desired resolution. Ideally, this should be 300 DPI. However, you may be happier with a slightly lower quality print.
After upsampling, make sure to double-check the “Height” and “Width” settings in case there is an issue or automatic adjustment.

Interpolation

When an image is resampled, Photoshop adjusts the number of pixels. This is called interpolation. Multiple interpolation options can affect the end quality of the photo. The default automatic setting often gets the best-quality image, as Photoshop chooses what’s most suitable.

However, when enlarging images and upscaling the quality, the interpolation method called “Preserve Details 2.0” is the recommended setting, and it doesn’t get selected when interpolation is set to automatic. This setting is only available on Photoshop software from 2018 and onward.

Changing the Aspect Ratio

You may want to adjust the aspect ratio of your photo to fit a particular frame or space. This can be done through cropping:

Close the size dialogue box.
Select the “Crop Tool.”
In the “Options Bar,” enter your ideal aspect ratio into the “Width” and “Height” boxes.
Photoshop automatically reshapes the photo border, but you can resize it by dragging the outer handles of the image.

Save Your File

Once you have completed these steps, your photo or print is ready to save and print.

Create the Perfect Collage from Home

With the right software, printer and ink, you can create professional-level photos from home. Although it can take some tinkering, basic photo editing is relatively straightforward, allowing you to restore and resize your favorite memories.

It’s important to be realistic, however. Some old, grainy photos simply don’t have enough pixels to resize effectively. There must be a minimum resolution level for each photo to resize without losing quality.