Make a passport photo at home

Size presets, and why you should still check

The presets cover sizes people often need: US 2×2 in (600×600 px), UK, EU and Schengen 35×45 mm, India passport 35×45 mm and the 2×2 in visa size, Canada 50×70 mm, China 33×48 mm and Australia 35×45 mm. There is also a custom size in millimeters for anything else.

Each preset lists the head-height range it uses for the guide. Every preset is labelled “Check the current official rules before you print — requirements change.” That is meant seriously. Size, head height, background color, glasses, expression and the age of the photo are all set by the issuing authority, and they change. Read the current official guidance for your document before you print. This tool helps with size and framing; it cannot tell you whether a photo will be accepted.

Framing the head

The face finder locates your face and places the crop so the head fills the preset's height range, from chin to crown. The box stays editable, so you can nudge it if the hair or chin sits wrong. Keep the face centered and straight, with a little space above the head.

Most of what makes a usable ID photo happens before the shot. Face the camera straight on, with a neutral expression, eyes open and hair away from the eyes. Use soft, even light from the front so there are no shadows on the face or behind the head. Have someone else take the photo from about arm's length or farther, rather than a selfie, to avoid distortion.

Background options

You can keep the original background if you photographed against a plain wall. Or choose plain white, off-white, light blue or light gray, and the person cutout model replaces what is behind you. That model is optional and only downloads if you choose a new background. Check your document's rules for which color is expected.

Nothing else is changed. There is no beautification, smoothing or reshaping of any kind, because an ID photo has to show you as you are.

Printing

There are two exports. The single photo is sized in pixels for 300 dpi at the preset's dimensions, for online applications that ask for a file. The 4×6 inch print sheet, also at 300 dpi, holds as many copies as fit, with cut guides. Order it as an ordinary 4×6 photo print and make sure the print service does not scale or crop it.

What it will not do

• Requirements change. It cannot guarantee a photo meets current official rules or will be accepted; check the official guidance first.
• It never retouches, smooths or alters the face in any way.
• Small, turned or partly covered faces can be missed by the face finder; the box stays editable.
• Hair, glasses and semi-transparent edges can come out imperfect when the background is replaced.
• Prints come out at the right size only if the print service prints the sheet at 100 percent.

Devices and downloads

The face finder is a 230 KB download (MIT) that starts after one press of the main button. The person cutout, 25.9 MB (Apache-2.0), downloads only if you replace the background. Both are cached afterwards, and the editor shows each size first. They run in a background worker, on WebGPU when your browser offers it and on WebAssembly otherwise. On WebAssembly the face finder takes a fraction of a second and the cutout around a second on a typical laptop.

On-device AI: A small neural network that runs on this device after a one-time download. See what is stored on this device.

Step by step

1. Open a front-facing photo. Use a well-lit, straight-on shot with a neutral expression.
2. Choose a size preset. Pick your document's size or enter a custom size in millimeters.
3. Check the crop. Make sure the head sits inside the guide; adjust the box if needed.
4. Set the background. Keep the original or choose plain white, off-white, light blue or light gray.
5. Export. Save the single photo, the 4×6 in print sheet, or both, after checking the official rules.

Questions about passport photo maker