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OnePlaceTool

Passport Size Photo Maker

Crop a photo to passport size, ready to print or upload.

Your files stay on your device

Choose the photo

A plain background headshot works best

or drag and drop here

How to use Passport Photo Maker

  1. Pick a photo. A head and shoulders shot against a plain light wall works best.
  2. Choose the size your form asks for. 3.5 x 4.5 cm covers Indian passports, visas and most application forms.
  3. Leave the quality at 300 DPI if you plan to print it. Lower it only if a portal says the file is too large.
  4. Download the single photo, or take the printable sheet to a photo shop for six copies on one 4 x 6 inch print.

Physical size, not pixels

A passport photo is specified in centimetres, not pixels, because it is meant to be printed. DPI, or dots per inch, is the bridge between the two. At 300 DPI, the standard for printing, a 3.5 × 4.5 cm photo is 413 × 531 pixels. At 96 DPI it would be 132 × 170, which looks fine on a screen and prints badly.

Choose 300 DPI for anything going to a print shop. Drop to 200 if a portal says the file is too large, and use 96 only if the photo will never leave a screen.

The printable sheet

Print shops charge per sheet, not per photo, so the tool also lays copies out on standard photo paper with a small gap to cut along. A 3.5 × 4.5 cm photo fits six times on 4 × 6 inch paper and thirty times on A4. Take the sheet file to any photo counter and ask for a single print.

Getting the photo right

  • Plain, light, even background. A white wall in soft daylight is ideal.
  • Face the camera squarely, with a neutral expression and both eyes open.
  • Take off any cap or sunglasses, and keep heavy shadow off your face. Ordinary glasses are usually fine as long as there is no glare.
  • Have someone take the photo from a couple of metres away rather than holding the phone at arm length. A selfie distorts your face in a way verification staff notice.

Limits worth knowing

  • The crop is taken from the centre of your photo. Crop roughly to a head and shoulders framing first if the subject is off to one side.
  • The tool resizes and crops. It does not replace the background, retouch the face, or check that your head takes up the share of the frame a particular country wants.
  • Country rules differ in head size and background colour as well as dimensions. The preset sets the dimensions. Check the rest against the authority you are applying to.

Frequently asked questions

What is DPI and why does it matter?

DPI is how many dots get printed per inch, and it turns centimetres into pixels. At 300 DPI a 3.5 x 4.5 cm photo is 413 x 531 pixels, which prints sharply. At 96 DPI it is 132 x 170 pixels, which looks poor on paper.

How many photos fit on one sheet?

Six on a 4 x 6 inch print and thirty on A4, with a small gap to cut along. Photo shops charge per sheet, so one print gives you a year worth of form photos.

Will it crop my face properly?

It crops from the centre of the image at the proportions the size needs. If your face is off to one side, crop roughly to a head and shoulders framing first, then use this tool for the exact size.

Does it change the background?

No, it crops and resizes only. Take the photo against a plain, light, evenly lit wall, because no amount of resizing fixes a busy background afterwards.

Why was my photo rejected even at the right size?

Dimensions are only part of the rule. Most authorities also want a neutral expression, both eyes visible, no cap or sunglasses, no heavy shadow, and a head that fills a set share of the frame.

Can I use a selfie?

Better not to. A phone held at arm length distorts your face in a way trained staff notice. Have someone photograph you from about two metres away and crop in.