Converting Pixels to Dp

Java code:

// Converts 14 dip into its equivalent px
float dip = 14f;
Resources r = getResources();
float px = TypedValue.applyDimension(
    TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_DIP,
    dip,
    r.getDisplayMetrics()
);

Kotlin code:

 val dip = 14f
 val r: Resources = resources
 val px = TypedValue.applyDimension(
     TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_DIP,
     dip,
     r.displayMetrics
 )

Kotlin extension:

val Number.toPx get() = TypedValue.applyDimension(
  TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_DIP,
  this.toFloat(),
  Resources.getSystem().displayMetrics)

/**
 * This method converts dp unit to equivalent pixels, depending on device density. 
 * 
 * @param dp A value in dp (density independent pixels) unit. Which we need to convert into pixels
 * @param context Context to get resources and device specific display metrics
 * @return A float value to represent px equivalent to dp depending on device density
 */
public static float convertDpToPixel(float dp, Context context){
    return dp * ((float) context.getResources().getDisplayMetrics().densityDpi / DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_DEFAULT);
}

/**
 * This method converts device specific pixels to density independent pixels.
 * 
 * @param px A value in px (pixels) unit. Which we need to convert into db
 * @param context Context to get resources and device specific display metrics
 * @return A float value to represent dp equivalent to px value
 */
public static float convertPixelsToDp(float px, Context context){
    return px / ((float) context.getResources().getDisplayMetrics().densityDpi / DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_DEFAULT);
}

Preferably put in a Util.java class

public static float dpFromPx(final Context context, final float px) {
    return px / context.getResources().getDisplayMetrics().density;
}

public static float pxFromDp(final Context context, final float dp) {
    return dp * context.getResources().getDisplayMetrics().density;
}

float density = context.getResources().getDisplayMetrics().density;
float px = someDpValue * density;
float dp = somePxValue / density;

density equals

• .75 on ldpi (120 dpi)
• 1.0 on mdpi (160 dpi; baseline)
• 1.5 on hdpi (240 dpi)
• 2.0 on xhdpi (320 dpi)
• 3.0 on xxhdpi (480 dpi)
• 4.0 on xxxhdpi (640 dpi)

Use this online converter to play around with dpi values.

EDIT: It seems there is no 1:1 relationship between dpi bucket and density. It looks like the Nexus 5X being xxhdpi has a density value of 2.625 (instead of 3). See for yourself in the Device Metrics.

You can use this .. without Context

public static int pxToDp(int px) {
    return (int) (px / Resources.getSystem().getDisplayMetrics().density);
}

public static int dpToPx(int dp) {
    return (int) (dp * Resources.getSystem().getDisplayMetrics().density);
}

As @Stan mentioned .. using this approach may cause issue if system changes density. So be aware of that!

Personally I am using Context to do that. It's just another approach I wanted to share you with

If you can use the dimensions XML it's very simple!

In your res/values/dimens.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
    <dimen name="thumbnail_height">120dp</dimen>
    ...
    ...
</resources>

Then in your Java:

getResources().getDimensionPixelSize(R.dimen.thumbnail_height);

According to the Android Development Guide:

px = dp * (dpi / 160)

But often you'll want do perform this the other way around when you receive a design that's stated in pixels. So:

dp = px / (dpi / 160)

If you're on a 240dpi device this ratio is 1.5 (like stated before), so this means that a 60px icon equals 40dp in the application.

Without Context, elegant static methods:

public static int dpToPx(int dp)
{
    return (int) (dp * Resources.getSystem().getDisplayMetrics().density);
}

public static int pxToDp(int px)
{
    return (int) (px / Resources.getSystem().getDisplayMetrics().density);
}

using kotlin-extension makes it better

fun Int.toPx(context: Context): Int = (this * context.resources.displayMetrics.density).toInt()

fun Int.toDp(context: Context): Int = (this / context.resources.displayMetrics.density).toInt()

UPDATE:

Because of displayMetrics is part of global shared Resources, we can use Resources.getSystem()

val Float.toPx get() = this * Resources.getSystem().displayMetrics.density
    
val Float.toDp get() = this / Resources.getSystem().displayMetrics.density
    

    
val Int.toPx get() = (this * Resources.getSystem().displayMetrics.density).toInt()
    
val Int.toDp get() = (this / Resources.getSystem().displayMetrics.density).toInt()
    

PS: According to @EpicPandaForce's comment:

You should not be using Resources.getSystem() for this, because it does not handle foldables and Chrome OS devices.

For DP to Pixel

Create a value in dimens.xml

<dimen name="textSize">20dp</dimen>

Get that value in pixel as:

int sizeInPixel = context.getResources().getDimensionPixelSize(R.dimen.textSize);

For anyone using Kotlin:

val Int.toPx: Int
    get() = (this * Resources.getSystem().displayMetrics.density).toInt()

val Int.toDp: Int
    get() = (this / Resources.getSystem().displayMetrics.density).toInt()

Usage:

64.toPx
32.toDp

You can therefore use the following formulator to calculate the right amount of pixels from a dimension specified in dp

public int convertToPx(int dp) {
    // Get the screen's density scale
    final float scale = getResources().getDisplayMetrics().density;
    // Convert the dps to pixels, based on density scale
    return (int) (dp * scale + 0.5f);
}

There is a default util in android SDK:

float resultPix = TypedValue.applyDimension(TypedValue.COMPLEX_UNIT_DIP,1,getResources().getDisplayMetrics())

Kotlin

fun convertDpToPixel(dp: Float, context: Context): Float {
    return dp * (context.resources.displayMetrics.densityDpi.toFloat() / DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_DEFAULT)
}

fun convertPixelsToDp(px: Float, context: Context): Float {
    return px / (context.resources.displayMetrics.densityDpi.toFloat() / DisplayMetrics.DENSITY_DEFAULT)
}