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Resize an image to 48×48 pixels
To resize an image to 48×48 px, enter 48 × 48 px and save it as PNG. Shown at 48 CSS px it is sharp on a 1× screen; a 2× screen needs 96×96 px for the same spot. Cropping a 4:3 photo to fill the 1:1 square removes 25%.
48×48 px
PNG · no file-size limit · 48x48 px
No file-size limit is set: PixelFit saves at high quality and changes only the format and any pixel size you set.
Fit, background and padding crop to fill · white background
Saving presets is part of Pro.
The result appears here: the exact byte count, pixel size and quality, the size before and after, a preview and a download button.
The batch kit (one ZIP for up to 500 photos, several photos merged into one PDF) is part of Pro.
48×48 at a glance
| Pixel size | 48×48 px (2,304 pixels) |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 1:1, square (width ÷ height = 1) |
| Megapixels | 0.0023 MP |
| Decoded in memory | 9 KB RGBA · 6.8 KB RGB |
| Sharp on screen at | 48×48 CSS px at 1×, 24×24 at 2×, 16×16 at 3× density |
What 48×48 means in pixels
48×48 is a square, 48 pixels on each side, 2,304 pixels in total (0.0023 megapixels). Its sides reduce to 1:1 (1 as a decimal), so any picture cropped to 1:1 scales to it without distortion.
At 48 px across every single pixel is visible, so start from a sharp original with bold shapes and hard edges; a 12 MP phone frame has 5,292 times as many pixels as this target. On a 2× (high-density) screen this file is sharp at 24 CSS px, on a 3× phone at 16 CSS px; a print at 300 DPI would be only 4.1 mm wide, so it is a screen-only size.
Where 48×48 is used
Each line comes from the page listed under Sources, checked October 2026. Platform sizes change, so check the source before you rely on it.
- Favicon file: Google Search accepts square favicons from 8×8 px but recommends larger than 48×48 px.
Getting 48×48 from a phone, camera or screenshot
Filling 48×48 from a 12 MP phone photo (4032×3024, 4:3) loses the least (25%); a vertical phone video frame (1080×1920, 9:16) loses the most (43.8%). "Fit inside" keeps the whole picture instead and the file comes out at the size in the last column; "Pad with colour" adds bars to reach the full 48×48. From the phone photo PixelFit takes the 3024×3024 crop through 1512×1512, 756×756, 378×378, 189×189 and 94×94 before the last step to 48×48, so each pass blends neighbouring pixels instead of skipping them.
| Starting image | Crop to fill keeps | Area lost | Scale | Fit inside gives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 MP phone photo (4032×3024, 4:3) | 3024×3024 (left and right cut) | 25% | 0.016× (reduced) | 48×36 |
| 24 MP camera photo (6000×4000, 3:2) | 4000×4000 (left and right cut) | 33.3% | 0.012× (reduced) | 48×32 |
| Full HD screenshot (1920×1080, 16:9) | 1080×1080 (left and right cut) | 43.8% | 0.044× (reduced) | 48×27 |
| Vertical phone video frame (1080×1920, 9:16) | 1080×1080 (top and bottom cut) | 43.8% | 0.044× (reduced) | 27×48 |
48×48 on high-density screens
A screen with a device pixel ratio of 2 draws every CSS pixel with 2×2 device pixels, so an icon shown at 48 CSS px needs a file of 96×96 there.
| Device pixel ratio | 48×48 is sharp up to | File needed for a 48 CSS px slot |
|---|---|---|
| 1× | 48×48 CSS px | 48×48 px |
| 1.5× | 32×32 CSS px | 72×72 px |
| 2× | 24×24 CSS px | 96×96 px |
| 3× | 16×16 CSS px | 144×144 px |
| 4× | 12×12 CSS px | 192×192 px |
Shrinking a master icon to 48×48
Icons are best drawn large and reduced. PixelFit halves the master while both sides stay at or above 48 px, then makes one last step to 48×48; each pass blends neighbouring pixels, which keeps thin strokes from breaking up.
| Master | Reduction | Passes PixelFit runs |
|---|---|---|
| 1024×1024 | 0.05× (21 times smaller) | 5: 512×512 → 256×256 → 128×128 → 64×64 → 48×48 |
| 512×512 | 0.09× (11 times smaller) | 4: 256×256 → 128×128 → 64×64 → 48×48 |
| 256×256 | 0.19× (5.3 times smaller) | 3: 128×128 → 64×64 → 48×48 |
Making a 48×48 icon
From a 512×512 master icon the reduction is 0.09×, so simplify the artwork first: fine lines under 2 px vanish. Save icons as PNG to keep transparency and crisp edges.
That makes 48×48 a companion size rather than the only favicon: publish a 96×96 or 192×192 file next to it and list both in your HTML.
Other 1:1 sizes
These targets share the exact 1:1 ratio of 48×48, so resizing between them is a pure scale with nothing cropped.
| Size | Scale from 48×48 | Megapixels |
|---|---|---|
| 50×50 square | 1.04× | 0.0025 MP |
| 64×64 icon | 1.33× | 0.0041 MP |
| 32×32 favicon | 0.67× | 0.001 MP |
| 96×96 icon | 2× | 0.0092 MP |
| 100×100 square | 2.08× | 0.01 MP |
| 128×128 app icon | 2.67× | 0.0164 MP |
| 144×144 app icon | 3× | 0.0207 MP |
| 16×16 favicon | 0.33× | 0.0003 MP |
How to resize a picture to 48×48
-
Add the picture
Drop, paste or pick the photo in the PixelFit panel at the top of this page; it is decoded in your browser and never uploaded.
-
Set the size
Enter 48 as the width and 48 as the height in pixels (the panel is already set to 48×48).
-
Choose how it fits
Choose crop to fill to keep the 1:1 frame without stretching (a phone photo loses 25%, left and right cut). Fit inside keeps the whole picture as a 48×36 file instead; Pad with colour puts that on a full 48×48 canvas.
-
Pick the format and download
Choose PNG for an icon, then download the 48x48 file.
Sources
- Define a favicon to show in search results, Google Search Central, checked 31 October 2026: developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/favicon-in-s…
Frequently asked questions
How do I resize an image to 48x48?
Open the image in the PixelFit panel on this page, set 48 × 48 px, choose crop to fill so nothing is stretched and download. From a 12 MP phone photo that crops 25% (left and right cut) and scales the rest by 0.016×.
What aspect ratio is 48x48?
48x48 has an aspect ratio of 1:1: square, width ÷ height = 1. Sizes with the same ratio include 50×50 square, 64×64 icon and 32×32 favicon.
Which other icon sizes go with 48x48?
For a 48 CSS px slot, a 2× screen needs 96×96 and a 3× phone 144×144. 48x48 is at or below the 48×48 px that Google Search recommends exceeding for favicons, so add a larger file.