DPI has many full forms and refers to Dots Per Inch which determines the resolution of a picture or image and Digital Payment Index which allows digital transactions of money. DPI is used to describe the resolution number of dots per inch in a digital print and the printing resolution of a hard copy print dot gain, which is the increase in the size of the halftone dots during printing. This is caused by the spreading of ink on the surface of the media. DPI stands for Dots Per Inch, a measurement of image resolution. Learn how DPI affects print quality, text legibility, color reproduction, and web graphics. Learn the meaning and usage of DPI , a measurement of image density or resolution. Find out how DPI affects the quality of digital printing and touchscreen display.