To convert mils to points, multiply by 0.072. That factor is the whole relationship: both units measure length, so the conversion is a proportion with no offset and no substance-specific constant.
The DTP point: exactly 1/72 inch, the unit type size is set in. One thousandth of an inch, the standard thickness unit for plastic film and PCB traces.
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". Below the calculator there is a step table for the values people look up most, and a second table putting real length figures into points so the number you get has something to be compared against.
The formula
mils- The amount you are converting, in mils
0.072- The exact number of points in one mil
points- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in mils.
- It is multiplied by 0.072, 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 door height: 8e+04 mil in points
Take a door height, roughly 8e+04 mil. The conversion is a single multiplication — 8e+04 × 0.072 — giving 5760 pt. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 11,520 pt.
An Olympic pool: 1.97e+06 mil in points
At 1.97e+06 mil (an olympic pool), the same quantity in points is 1.97e+06 × 0.072 = 141,840 pt. One mil is 0.072 points, so the numbers shrink as expected.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many points are in one mil?
Exactly 0.072. 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 mils to points?
points = mils × 0.072. Reversed, mils = points ÷ 0.072, which is the same as multiplying by 13.8888888889.
Which is the bigger unit, the mil or the point?
The point. One mil is only 0.072 of a point, so it takes 13.8889 mils to make one point.
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 mil?
One thousandth of an inch, the standard thickness unit for plastic film and PCB traces.
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 mil to pt in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: divide by 14 instead of using the exact factor 0.072. At 100 that shortcut gives 7.1428571 points, off by 0.05714 points or about 0.79%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Mils to points reference tables
| Mils | Points |
|---|---|
| 0.5 mil | 0.036 pt |
| 1 mil | 0.072 pt |
| 2 mil | 0.144 pt |
| 3 mil | 0.216 pt |
| 5 mil | 0.36 pt |
| 10 mil | 0.72 pt |
| 20 mil | 1.44 pt |
| 25 mil | 1.8 pt |
| 50 mil | 3.6 pt |
| 75 mil | 5.4 pt |
| 100 mil | 7.2 pt |
| 250 mil | 18 pt |
| 500 mil | 36 pt |
| 1000 mil | 72 pt |
| 5000 mil | 360 pt |
Exact factor: 1 mil = 0.072 points.
| Quantity | mil | pt |
|---|---|---|
| A credit card’s long edge | 3370 mil | 242.6 pt |
| A door height | 8e+04 mil | 5760 pt |
| An Olympic pool | 1.969e+06 mil | 1.417e+05 pt |
| The Eiffel Tower | 1.299e+07 mil | 9.354e+05 pt |
| A marathon | 1.661e+09 mil | 1.196e+08 pt |
| Earth’s diameter | 5.017e+11 mil | 3.612e+10 pt |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.