Print Passport-Size Photos at Home on One Sheet
Passport, visa and ID applications need small photos at a precise size, and photo studios charge for every set. If you have a decent printer, or a shop that prints standard 4 × 6 inch photos cheaply, you can make a full sheet of correctly sized photos yourself in a few minutes.
Know the size you need
Countries and documents differ. Common sizes include 35 × 45 mm (used for many passports and visas in Europe, Asia and elsewhere) and 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm, used for example for US passports and visas). Some applications have their own sizes. Always check the official guidance for your document, including the rules on background colour, head size and expression.
Step 1: Take a good photo
- Stand in front of a plain, light wall, facing a window or soft light.
- Ask someone to take the photo from about 1.5 metres away at eye level.
- Keep a neutral expression, eyes open, no shadows on the face or background.
- Take several shots and pick the sharpest one.
If the background isn't plain enough, the Background Color Changer can replace a plain, evenly lit background with white or another colour. Check the result carefully: hair edges should look natural.
Step 2: Crop around the head
Use the Image Cropper with a custom ratio matching your size (7:9 for 35 × 45 mm, 1:1 for 2 × 2 inches). Leave the space above the head and around the shoulders that your document's guidance describes. The crop decides how big your face appears in the final photo.
Step 3: Make the print sheet
- Open the Photo Print Sheet maker and add your cropped photo.
- Choose the photo size, for example 35 × 45 mm or 2 × 2 in, or type any size in millimetres.
- Choose the paper: 4 × 6 in for photo shops, A4 or Letter for a home printer.
- Download the sheet, laid out at 300 DPI with as many copies as fit.
Step 4: Print at actual size
This is where most home prints go wrong. Printers like to "fit to page", which scales the sheet and makes every photo slightly too small or too large.
- In the print dialog, choose Actual size or 100%.
- Turn off Fit to page and borderless printing.
- Use photo paper and the printer's photo quality setting.
After printing, measure one photo with a ruler. If it's off, check the scaling setting again. For a print shop, order a standard 4 × 6 in print and ask them not to crop or resize it.
Cut carefully
Use a ruler and a sharp craft knife or a paper trimmer for straight edges. Photos with uneven edges may be refused.
Common questions
Can I use a phone selfie? Selfies are usually taken too close, which distorts the face, and arm's length makes it hard to keep the camera level. Ask someone to take the photo from a little distance instead, or use a timer with the phone on a stand.
Matte or glossy paper? Follow your document's guidance if it says. Otherwise, photo paper of good quality gives the sharpest result; plain office paper usually doesn't meet the requirements for official photos.
My printer adds a border. Is that a problem? No, as long as it prints at 100%. The sheet has space around the photos for cutting. What matters is the size of each photo, so measure one.
Can I use the same sheet for several documents? Only if they need the same size and the same type of photo. Many documents also require recent photos, so don't keep old sheets for years.
Your photo stays private
Your ID photo is personal data. The sheet is made entirely in your browser: the photo is never uploaded, and nothing is stored once you close the page.
Checklist
- Correct size and background for your document.
- Face centred, at the size the guidance asks for.
- Printed at 100%, measured with a ruler.
- Neatly cut edges.