Convert Twip to Point
Convert twips to points instantly. 1 twip = 0.0499999969 point — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Point to Twip converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
Twip
A twip is a typographic unit equal to 1/1440 of an inch (about 17.64 µm). It is used in legacy Microsoft Windows graphics APIs and PostScript typography.
The name twip is a contraction of 'twentieth of a point' (point being 1/72 inch). Adopted in Microsoft's GDI and OLE specifications for screen-resolution-independent measurement.
Twips appear in Visual Basic, legacy Windows API code, and some PostScript-derived typesetting systems. They allow whole-number arithmetic at sub-pixel precision for typographic layout.
Adopted by Microsoft in the 1980s for screen-typography APIs; remains in use in legacy Windows GDI and Visual Basic code.
Point
A point is a typographic unit equal to 1/72 of an inch (about 0.353 mm) in the PostScript point system. It is the standard unit for font sizes and typographic measurements in modern digital publishing.
The PostScript/Adobe point of exactly 1/72 inch was adopted in 1984 with the release of PostScript. This replaced earlier, slightly different typographic points (Didot, Truchet, Pica points) that had varied across regional printing traditions.
Points are used throughout typesetting, word processing, and design software for font sizes (typical body text is 10–12 pt) and small typographic dimensions. The web's standard typography unit, even when expressed in CSS as 1pt = 1.333px.
PostScript point of 1/72 inch defined by Adobe in 1984; predecessors include the Didot point (France, ~0.376 mm) and the Truchet/Pica systems.
Twip to Point conversion formula
The relationship between twips and points:
To convert twips to points, multiply the value in twips by 0.0499999969. To reverse, multiply points by 20.0000012598.
How to use this converter
Type a value into the calculator. The result in points updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Point to Twip converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert twips to points
- Write down the value in twips (twip).
- Multiply that value by the factor 0.0499999969.
- The product is the equivalent value in points (pt).
- To reverse, multiply the point value by 20.0000012598.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 twip to pt:
1 × 0.0499999969 = 0.0499999969 pt
Example 2 — Convert 100 twip to pt:
100 × 0.0499999969 = 4.999999685 pt
Real-world example — Paper and film thicknesses
At the thickness of office paper (roughly 3 twips), converting between sub-millimeter units is routine for packaging and printing buyers comparing quotes from metric and US suppliers.
3 twip × 0.0499999969 = 0.1499999906 pt
Real-world example — Plastic-film thickness alternates
A 150-twip plastic film converts cleanly to points — useful for packaging buyers reconciling supplier datasheets across metric and US measurement systems.
150 twip × 0.0499999969 = 7.4999995276 pt
Real-world example — Hair-width scale measurements
A 70-twip measurement (about the diameter of a human hair) is the kind of value materials engineers regularly express in adjacent micro-scale units like points for direct comparison across supplier datasheets.
70 twip × 0.0499999969 = 3.4999997795 pt
Twip to Point conversion table
Standard reference values for converting twips to points:
| Twip [twip] | Point [pt] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 0.0005 |
| 0.1 | 0.0049999997 |
| 1 | 0.0499999969 |
| 2 | 0.0999999937 |
| 3 | 0.1499999906 |
| 4 | 0.1999999874 |
| 5 | 0.2499999843 |
| 10 | 0.4999999685 |
| 20 | 0.999999937 |
| 30 | 1.4999999055 |
| 40 | 1.999999874 |
| 50 | 2.4999998425 |
| 100 | 4.999999685 |
| 500 | 24.9999984252 |
| 1000 | 49.9999968504 |
Frequently asked questions
How many points is 1 twip?
How do I convert twips to points?
How do I convert points back to twips?
How many points is 100 twips?
Popular length unit conversions
Convert Twip to other length units
Show all Twip conversions
Metric / SI (4 units)
Imperial / US Customary (4 units)
Typographic (2 units)
Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 twip = 0.0499999969 pt) verified against the following authoritative sources:
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure 9th ed.)
Official BIPM publication defining the seven SI base units (including the meter) and the rules for their use. The global authority on units of measurement.
- NIST — Guide to the SI
US National Institute of Standards and Technology reference covering the SI base and derived units with definitions and usage rules for US technical practice.
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units
Detailed NIST guide covering exact conversion factors between SI and US customary units along with formatting and rounding conventions.
- NIST — Refinement of values for the yard and pound (Federal Register 1959)
The treaty (signed by US
- International Astronomical Union — System of Astronomical Constants
The IAU defines astronomical units including the AU (149597870700 m exactly) light-year and parsec used in astronomy and astrophysics.