Canva workflow

How to Make a 300 DPI PNG in Canva

Canva won't let you set DPI on a PNG export — every PNG leaves at 96 DPI in its metadata. Here's how sellers actually get to a true 300 DPI file, and why the pixel count matters more than the tag.

If you design printables in Canva and a buyer (or a print shop) tells you the file "isn't 300 DPI," you're not imagining it. Canva's free PNG and JPG exports carry a 96 DPI tag, even when the artwork itself has plenty of pixels. There's no DPI box on those export options. Here's what's really going on and how to fix it.

First: DPI is about pixels, not the tag

DPI only means something at a print size. The formula is simple:

pixels ÷ inches = DPI

A design that's 2400 × 3000 pixels prints at 300 DPI on an 8×10, and 150 DPI on a 16×20. So step one is making your Canva canvas big enough in the first place. For an 8×10 at 300 DPI you need 2400 × 3000 px; set your custom canvas in pixels, not inches.

The Canva PDF-Print workaround

The one Canva export that embeds a proper print resolution is Download → PDF Print. It flattens at 300 DPI and is the format most print labs prefer for wall art anyway. Steps:

  • Design at the correct pixel dimensions (inches × 300).
  • Download → File type: PDF Print.
  • Tick Crop marks and bleed only if your printer asks for it; most Etsy buyers don't need it.

If you specifically need a PNG or JPG (many buyers do), you have to convert the file after export so the 300 DPI tag is written into the bytes — Canva can't do that step.

The one-click fix

Drop your Canva PNG or JPG into the free Ratio-Pack Generator. It writes real 300 DPI density metadata into every exported file (JFIF density for JPEG, a pHYs chunk for PNG), and it crops your design into every ratio buyers ask for at the same time. It also tells you the largest size your file prints cleanly, so you never promise a 24×36 a 2000 px design can't deliver. Nothing uploads — it runs in your browser.

Common mistakes

  • Designing in inches at default 96 DPI. A "10 inch" Canva canvas is only 960 px wide — nowhere near enough. Always build in pixels.
  • Trusting "300 DPI" because you typed it somewhere. The metadata tag is separate from pixel count; you need both right.
  • Upscaling a small export. Blowing a 1000 px file up to 3000 px adds no real detail — it just prints soft. Start bigger in Canva instead.

For the full picture on why the tag and the pixels are two different things, see what DPI really means for printables.

Ratio-Pack Generator

Turn one image into every print ratio buyers ask for — 300 DPI, cropped in your browser. Free, instant, nothing uploads.

Open the tool →
Keep reading
Best Canva Export Settings for Etsy Print FilesThe exact export options, the 300 DPI workaround, sRGB, and flattening — set up once for print-ready files every time. What DPI for Printables? 300 DPI, ExplainedWhy 300 DPI is the standard, when 150–200 is fine, and why the DPI tag isn't what you think. Why Is My Etsy Printable Blurry When Printed?The three real causes of a soft print and how to fix each before a buyer files a refund.
Questions

Quick answers.

Does Canva export at 300 DPI?

Only its PDF Print export embeds 300 DPI. PNG and JPG exports carry a 96 DPI tag regardless of the artwork, so you either use PDF Print or convert the file afterward.

How big should my Canva canvas be for a 300 DPI print?

Multiply the print size in inches by 300. An 8×10 needs a 2400×3000 px canvas; a 16×20 needs 4800×6000 px. Set the canvas in pixels, not inches.

Can I just change the DPI number to 300?

Changing the tag alone doesn't add detail — the pixels are unchanged. You need enough pixels for the print size and a correct 300 DPI tag written into the file.