What Is Point?
A point is a tiny unit of length that people use to measure text and layout. It helps set font sizes, spaces, and line thickness in printing and on screens.
Definition
A point is a standard size used in typography, which is the work of arranging text. In most of the world today, one point is defined as exactly one seventy second of an inch.
In simple numbers
- 1 point = 1/72 inch
- 1 point is about 0.3528 millimeter
When you choose font size like 12 pt in a document, that number is using points.
History / Origin
The point system began many years ago in the early days of printing. Printers needed a way to measure letters and lines so pages would look neat and repeatable.
Different countries and printers used slightly different point sizes at first. In the 1700s and 1800s, printers in Europe and the United States created point systems to bring order to printing sizes.
In the 1900s and later, with the growth of computers and digital typesetting, the point was fixed to a clear size linked to the inch. Software companies widely adopted the size 1 point = 1/72 inch, and that is now the most common definition.
Symbol & Abbreviation
The usual short form for point is
- pt for a single point or when writing sizes, for example 10 pt, 24 pt
Sometimes printers write sizes using points and another unit called picas, like 10 p 6 which means 10 picas and 6 points.
Current Use Around the World
Today, the point unit is used almost everywhere for text and layout work.
- Digital documents word processors, slide tools, and design apps use pt for font size and spacing
- Graphic design designers set text, line spacing, and some layout values in points
- Printing printers use points to set type size, line thickness, and some page margins
- Web design style sheets can use pt for text size, although many designers prefer pixels or other units
Most modern systems follow the digital definition where 1 point equals 1/72 inch. Older print systems in some countries may still refer to historic point sizes, but these are rare now.
Example Conversions
Using the common modern size
- 1 pt = 1/72 in ≈ 0.0139 in
- 1 pt ≈ 0.3528 mm
Some useful examples
- 6 pt ≈ 2.12 mm (very small body text or fine print)
- 10 pt ≈ 3.53 mm (common text size in books)
- 12 pt ≈ 4.23 mm (common document text size)
- 24 pt ≈ 8.47 mm (subheadings or small titles)
- 72 pt = 1 in ≈ 25.4 mm (large headline size)
To convert between points and inches
- points to inches length in inches = points ÷ 72
- inches to points points = inches × 72
To convert between points and millimeters
- points to millimeters length in mm ≈ points × 0.3528
- millimeters to points points ≈ millimeters ÷ 0.3528
Related Units
Units related to the point in typography and layout include
- Pica a larger typography unit used with points. 1 pica = 12 points in the common modern system
- Inch a standard unit of length. 1 inch = 72 points
- Millimeter a metric unit. 1 point ≈ 0.3528 millimeter
- Centimeter 10 millimeters. 1 cm ≈ 28.35 points
- Pixel a dot on a screen. The size of a pixel can change with the device, but many design tools let you switch between pt and px
FAQs
Q. What is a point used for?
A. A point is mainly used to measure font size, spacing, and some layout parts in printing, graphic design, and digital documents.
Q. How big is 1 point?
A. In most modern systems, 1 point is exactly 1/72 of an inch, which is about 0.3528 millimeter.
Q. Why do designers use points instead of millimeters?
A. Points are part of a long print tradition and link directly to type size. Many tools and fonts are built around points, so it is simple for designers to use them.
Q. Is 12 pt a good text size?
A. Yes, 12 pt is a very common and easy to read size for body text in letters and documents. For books, sizes around 10 pt or 11 pt are also common.
Q. What is the difference between pt and px?
A. Pt is a physical length unit based on the inch. Px means pixel, which is a screen dot. The real size of a pixel can change with screen settings, while a point links to a fixed physical size when printed.
Q. Are all point systems the same?
A. No. In the past, some printing systems used slightly different point sizes. However, the digital point equal to 1/72 inch is now the main standard in modern software and printing.