Pixel

A pixel (short for "picture element") is the smallest element of a digital image displayed on screen — a single dot of color within a larger grid of dots that combine to form a picture. The word "pixel" can refer to both the physical element on a monitor capable of displaying a single dot of color and to the digital data representing each dot within a raster image file. The more pixels in an image or monitor, the higher its resolution and the more detail it can display.

Computer monitors and other screens contain a matrix of thousands or even millions of pixels. An individual pixel displayed on a monitor is often too small to be seen by the naked eye, with some HiDPI monitors containing more than 200 pixels per inch. Each pixel on a screen consists of three smaller subpixels (one each for red, green, and blue) that mix light into a single color.

Every raster (or bitmap) image consists of a grid of square pixels. Each pixel only displays a single color; combining thousands (or millions) of pixels allows the colors in those individual dots to blend smoothly. How many possible colors a pixel can display is determined by the image's color depth — the number of bits it uses to store a single pixel. A color depth of 8 bits allows for 256 (28) possible color values, while a higher color depth of 24 bits allows each pixel to have one of more than 16 million (224) possible colors.

Updated February 13, 2023 by Brian P.

quizTest Your Knowledge

40 Mbps is how many Kbps?

A
400
0%
B
4,000
0%
C
40,000
0%
D
400,000
0%
Correct! Incorrect!     View the Kbps definition.
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