A poster size guide you can see: every standard size to scale on a real wall, before you buy or print.
Pick a size
The standard large poster: above a bed or sofa, art prints. Needs 7200 × 10800 px for a sharp print.
Try this 24 × 36 poster in your roomAdd up to two sizes as outlines on the wall above.
Chart
The most common poster sizes are 11 × 17 in (small), 18 × 24 in (medium) and 24 × 36 in (large), plus 27 × 40 in for movie posters. A normal or average poster is 18 × 24 in. Outside the US, posters come in A sizes: A3, A2 and A1.
Updated October 2026 · Sizes are portrait (width × height). Tap a size to see it on the wall above.
| Size | Inches | Centimetres | Aspect ratio | Pixels at 300 dpi | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letter | 8.5 × 11 in | 21.6 × 27.9 cm | 8.5:11 | 2550 × 3300 | Flyers, notices, small prints on a desk or shelf |
| 11 × 14 in | 27.9 × 35.6 cm | 11:14 | 3300 × 4200 | Small art prints, photos, a shelf or a narrow wall | |
| Tabloid | 11 × 17 in | 27.9 × 43.2 cm | 11:17 | 3300 × 5100 | Small posters, gallery walls, beside a desk |
| 12 × 18 in | 30.5 × 45.7 cm | 2:3 | 3600 × 5400 | Art prints and photo posters, gallery walls | |
| 13 × 19 in | 33 × 48.3 cm | 13:19 | 3900 × 5700 | Art prints from home and online printers (Super B paper) | |
| 16 × 20 in | 40.6 × 50.8 cm | 4:5 | 4800 × 6000 | Photo prints, art above a desk or dresser | |
| 16 × 24 in | 40.6 × 61 cm | 2:3 | 4800 × 7200 | Photo posters with the same 2:3 shape as a camera photo | |
| Medium | 18 × 24 in | 45.7 × 61 cm | 3:4 | 5400 × 7200 | The everyday medium poster: bedrooms, dorms, event posters |
| 20 × 24 in | 50.8 × 61 cm | 5:6 | 6000 × 7200 | Art prints and photos, a near-square large size | |
| 20 × 30 in | 50.8 × 76.2 cm | 2:3 | 6000 × 9000 | Photo posters, above a nightstand or a small sofa | |
| Poster board | 22 × 28 in | 55.9 × 71.1 cm | 11:14 | 6600 × 8400 | Poster board: school projects, signs, displays |
| Large | 24 × 36 in | 61 × 91.4 cm | 2:3 | 7200 × 10800 | The standard large poster: above a bed or sofa, art prints |
| Movie poster | 27 × 40 in | 68.6 × 101.6 cm | 27:40 | 8100 × 12000 | Movie posters (one sheet), statement wall art |
| 30 × 40 in | 76.2 × 101.6 cm | 3:4 | 9000 × 12000 | Large art prints and posters for a big wall | |
| Extra large | 36 × 48 in | 91.4 × 121.9 cm | 3:4 | 10800 × 14400 | Research posters, trade shows, oversized wall art |
| Bus shelter | 40 × 60 in | 101.6 × 152.4 cm | 2:3 | 12000 × 18000 | Bus shelter and subway posters, very large wall art |
| Size | Inches | Centimetres | Aspect ratio | Pixels at 300 dpi | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.3 × 11.7 in | 21 × 29.7 cm | 1:1.41 (ISO ratio) | 2480 × 3508 | Flyers and small prints, the size of a sheet of paper | |
| 11.7 × 16.5 in | 29.7 × 42 cm | 1:1.41 (ISO ratio) | 3508 × 4961 | Small posters, gallery walls, beside a desk | |
| 16.5 × 23.4 in | 42 × 59.4 cm | 1:1.41 (ISO ratio) | 4961 × 7016 | Medium posters: bedrooms, offices, gallery walls | |
| 23.4 × 33.1 in | 59.4 × 84.1 cm | 1:1.41 (ISO ratio) | 7016 × 9933 | Large posters: above a bed or sofa, exhibitions | |
| 33.1 × 46.8 in | 84.1 × 118.9 cm | 1:1.41 (ISO ratio) | 9933 × 14043 | Oversized posters and research posters | |
| 19.7 × 27.8 in | 50 × 70.7 cm | 1:1.41 (ISO ratio) | 5906 × 8350 | Medium posters, a little larger than A2 | |
| 27.8 × 39.4 in | 70.7 × 100 cm | 1:1.41 (ISO ratio) | 8350 × 11811 | Large posters and movie posters outside the US |
| Size | Inches | Centimetres | Aspect ratio | Pixels at 300 dpi | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.8 × 15.7 in | 30 × 40 cm | 3:4 | 3543 × 4724 | Small art prints, the most common European frame | |
| 19.7 × 27.6 in | 50 × 70 cm | 5:7 | 5906 × 8268 | The standard European art print, above a bed or sofa |
Size by size
Each size with its measurements, the pixels it needs, and how it looks on a wall above a 60 in (152 cm) queen bed.
An 11 × 17 poster measures 11 × 17 in (27.9 × 43.2 cm). The smallest common poster and the size of a tabloid sheet, so most home and office printers that take tabloid paper can print it. Used for event flyers, concert posters and small art prints.
On a wall: about 18% of a queen bed's width. On its own it reads small on a bedroom wall. It works beside a desk, on a narrow wall, or as one piece of a gallery wall.
11:17 · 3300 × 5100 px at 300 dpi · frame: 11 × 17 in
An 18 × 24 poster measures 18 × 24 in (45.7 × 61 cm). The normal medium poster: the default for event posters, dorm rooms and art prints that hang on their own.
On a wall: about 30% of a queen bed's width. Big enough to hang alone on a bedroom wall or above a desk. Above a bed it looks modest; two side by side fill the space better.
3:4 · 5400 × 7200 px at 300 dpi · frame: 18 × 24 in
A 24 × 36 poster measures 24 × 36 in (61 × 91.4 cm). The most popular large poster in the US and the usual size for art prints sold as posters. Its 2:3 shape matches camera photos, so a photo prints at this size without cropping.
On a wall: about 40% of a queen bed's width. The usual choice for one poster above a queen bed or a small sofa: it holds the wall without crowding it.
2:3 · 7200 × 10800 px at 300 dpi · frame: 24 × 36 in
A 27 × 40 poster measures 27 × 40 in (68.6 × 101.6 cm). The standard theatrical movie poster since the mid 1980s. Older one sheets are 27 × 41 in, so a vintage poster will not fit a modern 27 × 40 frame.
On a wall: about 45% of a queen bed's width. A statement piece. Above a queen bed it is about as large as one poster should go under a standard ceiling.
27:40 · 8100 × 12000 px at 300 dpi · frame: 27 × 40 in
An A2 poster measures 16.5 × 23.4 in (42 × 59.4 cm). The medium poster outside the US, close to 18 × 24 in but narrower. Every A size has the same shape, so a design made for A3 scales up to A2 unchanged.
On a wall: about 28% of a queen bed's width. Hangs well on its own in a bedroom or office, or as the largest piece of a gallery wall.
1:1.41 (ISO ratio) · 4961 × 7016 px at 300 dpi · frame: A2 frame
An A1 poster measures 23.4 × 33.1 in (59.4 × 84.1 cm). The large poster outside the US, close to 24 × 36 in but shorter. Common for exhibitions and art prints sold in Europe.
On a wall: about 39% of a queen bed's width. The European equivalent of the 24 × 36 above a bed or sofa: a single poster that holds a wall.
1:1.41 (ISO ratio) · 7016 × 9933 px at 300 dpi · frame: A1 frame
Landscape
Landscape poster sizes are the standard sizes turned on their side, written width first: 36 × 24 in is a 24 × 36 hung horizontally.
17 × 11 in
Small landscape prints and wide event flyers.
20 × 16 in
Landscape photos and art prints, close to the 5:4 shape of many frames.
24 × 18 in
A medium landscape poster above a desk or dresser.
36 × 24 in
The large landscape poster: above a sofa, a bed or a long sideboard.
40 × 27 in
A movie one sheet turned sideways, for panoramic art.
Above a sofa or a wide bed, a landscape poster fills more of the width than a portrait one of the same size. Use the Landscape switch in the viewer to compare.
Movie posters
The standard movie poster size, the one cinemas hang for a new film, is 27 × 40 in (68.6 × 101.6 cm), called a one sheet. Studios and cinemas also print these sizes:
| Name | Inches | Centimetres | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| One sheet | 27 × 40 in | 68.6 × 101.6 cm | The standard theatrical poster since the mid 1980s |
| Vintage one sheet | 27 × 41 in | 68.6 × 104.1 cm | Before about 1985; needs its own frame |
| Half sheet | 22 × 28 in | 55.9 × 71.1 cm | Landscape lobby poster |
| Insert | 14 × 36 in | 35.6 × 91.4 cm | Tall and narrow, for lobby displays |
| Window card | 14 × 22 in | 35.6 × 55.9 cm | Card stock, for shop windows |
| Lobby card | 11 × 14 in | 27.9 × 35.6 cm | Card sets with scenes from the film |
| Three sheet | 41 × 81 in | 104.1 × 205.7 cm | Printed in two or three parts |
By use
Bedroom or dorm wall
18 × 24 in or A2
Big enough to hang alone, small enough for a narrow wall.
Above a bed or sofa
24 × 36 in, A1 or 50 × 70 cm
Or two smaller posters side by side.
Concert or event poster
11 × 17 in or 18 × 24 in
11 × 17 for windows and boards, 18 × 24 to be seen from across a room.
Research or conference poster
36 × 48 in or A0
Check the event's rules first: many set a maximum.
School project
22 × 28 in
Standard poster board, sold in most stores. A full sheet is 28 × 44 in.
Gallery wall
11 × 17 in, 12 × 18 in, A3
Mix with one larger piece to anchor the group.
Bus shelter or subway
40 × 60 in
Printed for backlit cases, often double-sided.
Shape
Most posters use one of four aspect ratios: 2:3, 3:4, 4:5 or the 1:1.41 of the A and B sizes. An image of a different shape gets cropped or gets white bars.
2:3
12 × 18, 16 × 24, 20 × 30, 24 × 36 in
The shape of most camera photos, so photos print here without cropping.
3:4
18 × 24, 30 × 40 in
Slightly wider. A 2:3 photo loses a strip top or bottom.
4:5
8 × 10, 16 × 20 in
Close to square. A 2:3 photo loses about a sixth.
1:1.41
A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and the B sizes
Every ISO size has the same shape, so a design scales between them unchanged.
Print quality
For a poster seen from a step away, 150 pixels per inch at the printed size is enough; 300 pixels per inch is only needed for a print looked at up close.
Why posters need fewer pixels. The further away you stand, the less detail your eye can see. A 24 × 36 in poster at 150 dpi (3600 × 5400 px) looks sharp from across a bedroom; at 300 dpi it needs 7200 × 10800 px.
Sending it to a print shop? Add 1/8 in (3 mm) of bleed on every side, extending the background past the edge so no white line shows after trimming, and keep text at least 1/4 in from the edge. Going in a frame, keep it a further 1/4 in in, since the frame lip covers the edge.
Frames
A poster without a mat takes a frame of the same size: a 24 × 36 in poster goes in a 24 × 36 in frame.
With a mat, pick a frame 4 to 6 in (10 to 15 cm) larger each way, with a mat opening about 1/4 in (6 mm) smaller than the poster so the mat overlaps its edges. Common pairs: an 8 × 10 in print in an 11 × 14 in frame, 11 × 14 in a 16 × 20, and 16 × 20 in a 20 × 24.
Large posters (24 × 36 in and up) are lighter and safer behind acrylic than glass, especially above a bed.
A sizes and inch frames do not match. An A2 poster is 16.5 × 23.4 in, so it rattles in an 18 × 24 in frame. Buy an A2 frame, or an 18 × 24 in frame with a mat cut for A2.
Your wall
Above furniture, art looks right at 60 to 75% of the furniture's width, hung 8 to 10 in (20 to 25 cm) above it.
01 · Width
One poster rarely reaches two thirds of a bed: a 24 × 36 is about 40% of a queen. Pick the largest that fits, or hang two side by side.
02 · Height
On an empty wall, put the poster's centre 57 in (145 cm) from the floor. Above furniture, leave 8 to 10 in (20 to 25 cm) between the furniture and the bottom of the poster.
03 · Check
Tape paper the size of the poster to the wall, or upload a photo of the wall to the visualizer and see the poster at its real size.
More on sizing art for a room in the bedroom wall decor guide and the living room guide.
See a poster on your own wall
Upload a photo, mark how wide the wall is, and place posters and frames at their real sizes. Planning several frames? Start from a gallery wall template.
In the US the standard poster sizes are 11 × 17 in (small), 18 × 24 in (medium) and 24 × 36 in (large), plus 27 × 40 in for movie posters and 36 × 48 in for research and trade show posters. Most other countries use A sizes: A3, A2, A1 and A0.
18 × 24 in (45.7 × 61 cm) is the normal medium poster and 24 × 36 in (61 × 91.4 cm) the normal large one. When someone says "a poster" without a size, they almost always mean one of these two. Outside the US, the equivalents are A2 and A1.
Yes. 24 × 36 in (61 × 91.4 cm) is the most common large poster size in the US and the usual size for art prints hung above a bed or sofa. It has a 2:3 shape, so camera photos print at this size without cropping.
A 36 × 24 in poster is 91.4 × 61 cm: 3 feet wide and 2 feet tall. It is the 24 × 36 poster turned on its side, the usual landscape size above a sofa or a bed.
Yes. 18 × 24 in (45.7 × 61 cm) is the standard medium poster: big enough to hang on its own in a bedroom or dorm, small enough for a narrow wall or above a desk. Frames in this size are easy to find.
Usually not. 11 × 14 in is sold as a photo or art print size, and as the size of a movie lobby card. The smallest common poster size is 11 × 17 in, the size of a tabloid sheet of paper.
A movie poster (one sheet) is 27 × 40 in (68.6 × 101.6 cm). Posters printed before about 1985 are 27 × 41 in, so check a vintage poster's size before buying a frame.
Both are poster sizes. A2 (42 × 59.4 cm, 16.5 × 23.4 in) is a medium poster, close to 18 × 24 in. A1 (59.4 × 84.1 cm, 23.4 × 33.1 in) is a large poster, close to 24 × 36 in.
A1 is the biggest of those. The lower the number, the bigger the sheet: each A size is exactly half of the one before it, so two A2 sheets make an A1 and two A4 sheets make an A3.
A3 suits small spaces: beside a desk, on a shelf or as part of a gallery wall. A2 is better for a poster that hangs alone on a wall. Above a bed or sofa, go up to A1.
For a queen bed (60 in, 152 cm wide), a 24 × 36 in, A1 or 50 × 70 cm poster is the usual choice. For a king bed, go up to 27 × 40 in, or hang two posters side by side. Hang it about 8 in (20 cm) above the headboard.
Without a mat, buy a frame with the same size as the poster: a 24 × 36 in poster takes a 24 × 36 in frame. With a mat, choose a frame 4 to 6 in larger each way, and a mat whose opening is about 1/4 in smaller than the poster so it overlaps the edges.
For a sharp print up close, 300 pixels per inch: 3300 × 5100 px for 11 × 17 in, 5400 × 7200 px for 18 × 24 in and 7200 × 10800 px for 24 × 36 in. A poster seen from a step back still looks good at 150 pixels per inch, half those numbers.
Inch sizes are exact; A and B sizes follow ISO 216 and are converted from millimetres. The room photo is measured from the bed's headboard, 160 cm across for a 152 cm (60 in) queen mattress, and every poster is drawn at that scale, 20 cm (8 in) above the headboard. Updated October 2026 by the walldecor.io team.