Point to REM Converter

Q: How do I convert points (pt) to rem?

Convert points to pixels, then divide by the root font size: 12pt = 16px ÷ 16px = 1rem. The tool does this for you and lets you change the reference size, because that reference is what makes the answer different from one project to the next.

Q: What root font size should I use?

Browsers default to 16px, so 16 is the right starting point unless your stylesheet sets a different size on the html element. If your CSS sets `html { font-size: 62.5% }` — a common trick to make 1rem equal 10px — set the root size to 10 here instead.

Q: Should I use px or a relative unit?

Use relative units (rem, em) for anything that should scale with the reader's font-size preference: type, spacing, and container widths. Pixels are fine for things that genuinely should not scale, such as hairline borders and some shadow offsets. The accessibility rule of thumb is that a user who sets a larger default font size in their browser should see your layout grow with it.

Q: Is my data sent anywhere?

No. The conversion is arithmetic done in your browser — nothing is uploaded, and the page works offline once loaded.

Q: Why convert to rem rather than just using the pixel value?

Because pixels ignore the reader. Both pt and px freeze the size; rem renders the same by default but scales for anyone who has raised their browser font size. It is the same amount of work and strictly better for accessibility, which is why most style guides now specify type in rem.

Q: What if my root font size is not 16px?

Set the base here to whatever your stylesheet uses and the numbers adjust. The common case is the 62.5% trick, which puts the root at 10px and makes every rem value ten times its pixel size — handy for mental arithmetic, and worth setting here so the values match your project.

Convert points to rem — turn a print spec into scalable, root-relative web sizes.

Value to convert (pt)

Result (rem)

Root / parent font size

Browsers default to 16px. Use 10 if your CSS sets html { font-size: 62.5% }.

About this conversion

The same value at other root sizes

Root size	Result

Common conversions at 16 px

pt	rem

What It Does

This is the most useful direction in the point family: taking a size that was specified for paper and turning it into the unit a modern stylesheet actually wants. The tool converts points to pixels with the fixed CSS ratio, then divides by your root font size to give a rem value. The result renders identically to the original at default settings, but unlike the point value it grows for a reader who has enlarged their browser text — which is the whole reason to prefer rem on screen.

When to Use It

You are converting a design handed over in points (pt) into a stylesheet that uses rem for accessibility.
You inherited a codebase that mixes units and you need the rem equivalent of an existing pt value.
You want to check what a pt value becomes when the user changes their browser's default font size.
You are writing a design-token scale and need the same step expressed in both units.

Worked Examples

12

12pt is 1rem at a 16px root. A printed body size lands exactly on the browser default.

18

18pt is 1.5rem — the heading step you would write anyway.

11

11pt is 0.9167rem. Keep the fraction; it renders exactly and rounding it drifts the scale.

Features

Instant two-way conversion

Configurable root/parent font size

Full conversion table for common root sizes

Fractional-pixel rounding warning

Copy the value or the whole table

Works offline in your browser

No uploads or tracking

How to Use

1. Enter the points (pt) value you want to convert. 2. Set the root (or parent) font size the value should be measured against — 16px is the browser default. 3. Read the rem result, or copy the whole conversion table for the sizes you use.

Common Mistakes

Assuming the conversion is fixed. 1rem equals the root element's font size, which the reader can change — the same pt value converts differently depending on that size.
Confusing em with rem. `em` is relative to the *parent* element's font size and therefore compounds when nested; `rem` is always relative to the root element and does not.
Setting a px font size on the root element. That overrides the user's browser font-size preference, which defeats the accessibility reason for using relative units at all.
Rounding too early. Keep the fraction (1.375rem, not 1.4rem) — the browser resolves sub-pixel values fine and the rounding error compounds across a scale.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert points (pt) to rem?

What root font size should I use?

Should I use px or a relative unit?

Is my data sent anywhere?

Why convert to rem rather than just using the pixel value?

What if my root font size is not 16px?

The conversion runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded and nothing is stored.