Excel points and pixels

Question

Excel points and pixels

Richard Tillman 345

For Excel's default row height of 15, is that points? And is .25 the minimum adjust?

The reason I'm confused is, I just read: "Row height is a multiple of 1 pixel, measured in points. 1 pixel is .75 points."

Is that quote correct? If so, the row heights would be:

.75 pt (1 px)

1.5 pt (2 px)

2.25 pt (3 px)

so wouldn't the minimum adjust be .75 rather than .25?

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Kai-H 25,255 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi, Richard Tillman

Yes, 15 means 15 points. The confusion comes from mixing the value Excel displays with the amount by which the rendered row changes.

At the usual 96-DPI display setting, one screen pixel equals 0.75 point. Therefore, Excel commonly renders row heights in steps such as:

15.00, 15.75, 16.50, 17.25, 18.00

The effective step is 0.75 point, not 0.25 point. The decimal part may end in .00, .25, .50, or .75 as the sequence progresses, but that does not mean each step is 0.25.

For example, if you enter 15.25 in the Row Height box, Excel may accept the entry but round or render it to the nearest supported pixel height. You can confirm the result by reopening Home > Format > Row Height, or by dragging the row boundary and checking the ScreenTip.

So the quoted statement is broadly correct for Excel at standard Windows display scaling. However, the pixel value shown on screen can vary with display scaling, DPI, and zoom. Points remain the more reliable measurement because a point is always 1/72 inch. Row heights in Normal view are measured in points.

Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you.

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Richard Tillman 345 Reputation points

2026-08-12T16:22:21.9233333+00:00

Perfect, thanks.
Kai-H 25,255 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-13T06:15:41.6033333+00:00

Glad to hear that I can help.

Have a nice day!
Richard Tillman 345 Reputation points

2026-08-14T16:17:54.5066667+00:00

This is similar to my last question, but I'd like to simplify and clarify by referring solely to Points (unless the answer requires reference to another unit)

For Excel's row height, in default units of points, with .25 min adjust: when it prints, is Points the unit being used by Excel internally, and at that .25 increment? (Is each .25 increment effectualized in the printout?)
Kai-H 25,255 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-16T07:09:24.1633333+00:00

Hi, Richard Tillman

Yes, Excel defines row height in points, and that value is used when laying out the worksheet for printing. However, it would not be accurate to say that every 0.25-point entry is guaranteed to create a distinct printed height. Row-height values may be rounded during layout or rendering.

For example, entering 15.00, 15.25, 15.50, and 15.75 does not necessarily produce four measurably different rows on paper. Excel may store or display quarter-point values, but the final printed result is processed through the printer driver, print scaling, and the printer’s resolution. Those stages can map nearby values to the same physical output.

A quarter point is only 1/288 inch, so the difference may also be too small to verify reliably on an ordinary printer. Scaling options such as Fit Sheet on One Page can further change the final dimensions.

Therefore, the practical answer is: points are the worksheet’s row-height unit, but 0.25 point should not be treated as a guaranteed independent print increment. Check File > Print or export to PDF at 100% scaling if exact printed spacing matters.
Richard Tillman 345 Reputation points

2026-08-16T16:57:01.3666667+00:00

Thanks. Yes, 1/288" is quite small.
Kai-H 25,255 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-17T06:40:12.17+00:00

Glad to hear that I can help.

Feel free to get back if you need more help.

Have a nice day!

1 additional answer

Your answer

Richard Tillman 345 Reputation points

2026-08-12T16:22:21.9233333+00:00

Perfect, thanks.
Kai-H 25,255 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-13T06:15:41.6033333+00:00

Glad to hear that I can help.

Have a nice day!
Richard Tillman 345 Reputation points

2026-08-14T16:17:54.5066667+00:00

This is similar to my last question, but I'd like to simplify and clarify by referring solely to Points (unless the answer requires reference to another unit)

For Excel's row height, in default units of points, with .25 min adjust: when it prints, is Points the unit being used by Excel internally, and at that .25 increment? (Is each .25 increment effectualized in the printout?)
Kai-H 25,255 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-16T07:09:24.1633333+00:00

Hi, Richard Tillman

Yes, Excel defines row height in points, and that value is used when laying out the worksheet for printing. However, it would not be accurate to say that every 0.25-point entry is guaranteed to create a distinct printed height. Row-height values may be rounded during layout or rendering.

For example, entering 15.00, 15.25, 15.50, and 15.75 does not necessarily produce four measurably different rows on paper. Excel may store or display quarter-point values, but the final printed result is processed through the printer driver, print scaling, and the printer’s resolution. Those stages can map nearby values to the same physical output.

A quarter point is only 1/288 inch, so the difference may also be too small to verify reliably on an ordinary printer. Scaling options such as Fit Sheet on One Page can further change the final dimensions.

Therefore, the practical answer is: points are the worksheet’s row-height unit, but 0.25 point should not be treated as a guaranteed independent print increment. Check File > Print or export to PDF at 100% scaling if exact printed spacing matters.
Richard Tillman 345 Reputation points

2026-08-16T16:57:01.3666667+00:00

Thanks. Yes, 1/288" is quite small.
Kai-H 25,255 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-17T06:40:12.17+00:00

Glad to hear that I can help.

Feel free to get back if you need more help.

Have a nice day!

Answer 1

Yes. In the provided Excel documentation, the default row height of 15.00 is on a point scale.

Supported facts:

Default row height: 15.00
Minimum row height: 0 (hidden)
Maximum row height: 409
Worksheet.StandardHeight returns the default row height in points

What is not supported in the provided material:

that row height changes only in 1-pixel increments
that 1 pixel = 0.75 points for Excel row-height adjustment
that the minimum adjustment is 0.25 or 0.75

So, based on the available documentation, the reliable conclusion is:

15 means 15 points for the default row height.
The quote about row height being a multiple of 1 pixel and 1 pixel equaling 0.75 points is not established by the provided sources.
The provided sources also do not confirm any minimum adjustment increment such as 0.25 or 0.75.

References: