Percent to Point
Convert percentage font sizes to points.
Convert Percent (%) to Points (pt). Results update as you type.
%
Browser default is 16px
% to pt conversion table (base 16px)
| Percent | Points |
|---|---|
| 25% | 3pt |
| 50% | 6pt |
| 62.5% | 7.5pt |
| 75% | 9pt |
| 87.5% | 10.5pt |
| 100% | 12pt |
| 112.5% | 13.5pt |
| 125% | 15pt |
| 150% | 18pt |
| 175% | 21pt |
| 200% | 24pt |
| 250% | 30pt |
| 300% | 36pt |
Percent to Point Converter
Turn percentage font sizes into typographic points. Enter 125 and, with a 16px base, you get 15pt. This is handy when a web style guide has to be reproduced in Word, InDesign, or a print stylesheet, where sizes are specified in points rather than relative units.
The two-step formula
Percentages are relative, points are absolute, so the parent font size is needed as a bridge:
px = percent × base ÷ 100pt = px × 0.75
The 0.75 factor comes from the CSS definition of an inch: 96px = 72pt.
| Percent | Pixels (16px base) | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 62.5% | 10px | 7.5pt |
| 75% | 12px | 9pt |
| 87.5% | 14px | 10.5pt |
| 100% | 16px | 12pt |
| 150% | 24px | 18pt |
| 200% | 32px | 24pt |
Worked example: a print stylesheet
Your site sets captions to font-size: 75% and headings to font-size: 150%. For an @media print block you want fixed point sizes so the printout does not depend on the reader's browser settings. With the 16px default, the caption is 75% × 16 × 0.75 = 9pt and the heading is 150% × 16 × 0.75 = 18pt. Paste both values into the bulk box to get the list in one go.
Matching documents and web pages
Brand guidelines are often written for print: "Body 12pt, captions 9pt, headlines 18pt". Converting your existing percentages to points lets you compare the website against that guide line by line. Keep in mind that browsers render points through CSS pixels, so on screen 12pt always looks exactly like 16px.
For direct pixel conversions use PX to Point, and to translate a point-based guide back into relative units try Point to Percent.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert a percentage font size to points?
Convert to pixels first (percent × base ÷ 100), then multiply by 0.75 because 1px = 0.75pt in CSS. With a 16px base, 125% = 20px = 15pt.
What is 100% font size in points?
With the default 16px base, 100% is 16px, which equals 12pt – the classic body text size in word processors.
Why 0.75 points per pixel?
CSS defines 1 inch as 96px and 72pt, so 1pt = 96 ÷ 72 = 1.333px and 1px = 0.75pt.
Does the base font size matter?
Yes. A percentage has no absolute size on its own; it depends on the parent font size. Change the base field to match the element's inherited size.