To convert millimeters to points, multiply by 2.834645669. That factor is the whole relationship: both units measure length, so the conversion is a proportion with no offset and no substance-specific constant.
One thousandth of a metre — the finest gradation on a standard ruler. The DTP point: exactly 1/72 inch, the unit type size is set in.
The mil and the millimetre are not the same thing and are out by a factor of about forty. A mil is one thousandth of an inch — 0.0254 mm — and a spec sheet that quotes film thickness in mils means the small unit. British drawings write the same size as "thou". The tables underneath give both a plain step-by-step lookup and a list of real quantities expressed in points, so you can sanity-check whether your answer is a plausible size.
The formula
millimeters- The amount you are converting, in millimeters
2.83464566929- The exact number of points in one millimeter
points- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in millimeters.
- It is multiplied by 2.83464566929, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in points, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
A credit card’s long edge: 85.6 mm in points
A credit card’s long edge comes to about 85.6 mm. Multiplying by the factor: 85.6 × 2.83465 = 242.646 pt. Dividing the answer back by 2.83465 returns the figure you started with, which is the quickest way to check you have the factor the right way up.
An Olympic pool: 5e+04 mm in points
Take an olympic pool, roughly 5e+04 mm. The conversion is a single multiplication — 5e+04 × 2.83465 — giving 141,732 pt. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 283,465 pt.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many points are in one millimeter?
Exactly 2.83464566929. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert millimeters to points?
points = millimeters × 2.83464566929. Reversed, millimeters = points ÷ 2.83464566929, which is the same as multiplying by 0.352777777778.
Which is the bigger unit, the millimeter or the point?
The millimeter. One millimeter equals 2.83465 points.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure length. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a millimeter?
One thousandth of a metre — the finest gradation on a standard ruler.
What is a point?
The DTP point: exactly 1/72 inch, the unit type size is set in.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Is there a quick way to do mm to pt in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: multiply by 2.8 instead of using the exact factor 2.834645669. At 100 that shortcut gives 280 points, off by 3.465 points or about 1.22%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Millimeters to points reference tables
| Millimeters | Points |
|---|---|
| 0.5 mm | 1.41732 pt |
| 1 mm | 2.83465 pt |
| 2 mm | 5.66929 pt |
| 3 mm | 8.50394 pt |
| 5 mm | 14.1732 pt |
| 10 mm | 28.3465 pt |
| 20 mm | 56.6929 pt |
| 25 mm | 70.8661 pt |
| 50 mm | 141.732 pt |
| 75 mm | 212.598 pt |
| 100 mm | 283.465 pt |
| 250 mm | 708.661 pt |
| 500 mm | 1417.32 pt |
| 1000 mm | 2834.65 pt |
| 5000 mm | 14,173.2 pt |
Exact factor: 1 millimeter = 2.83464566929 points.
| Quantity | mm | pt |
|---|---|---|
| A credit card’s long edge | 85.6 mm | 242.6 pt |
| A door height | 2032 mm | 5760 pt |
| An Olympic pool | 5e+04 mm | 1.417e+05 pt |
| The Eiffel Tower | 3.3e+05 mm | 9.354e+05 pt |
| A marathon | 4.22e+07 mm | 1.196e+08 pt |
| Earth’s diameter | 1.274e+10 mm | 3.612e+10 pt |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.