UK passport photo: online checker and print maker
Applying online? Check your photo against the GOV.UK rules without changing it: at least 600 × 750 pixels, 50 KB to 10 MB, unaltered, showing your head, shoulders and upper body. GOV.UK crops it for you. Applying by post? Switch to printed photos: 45 mm high, 35 mm wide, with 29 to 34 mm from crown to chin.
- Free, no watermark
- Photo stays on your device
- No retouching
- Rules checked 11 November 2026
UK passport photo requirements
| Online application | A digital photo: at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, at least 50 KB and no more than 10 MB |
|---|---|
| Online photo framing | Head, shoulders and upper body. Do not crop it: GOV.UK crops it for you |
| Printed photo size | 45 mm high × 35 mm wide |
| Head size (printed) | 29 mm to 34 mm from the crown of the head to the chin |
| How many printed photos | 2 identical printed photos for a paper application |
| Background | Online: plain and light-coloured. Printed: plain cream or light grey. Both in clear contrast with you |
| How recent | Taken in the last month |
| Paper (printed) | Colour, professional standard, plain white photographic paper, no border |
| Editing | Must be unaltered by computer software |
Checked against the official source on 11 November 2026. Source: GOV.UK: Get a passport photo · GOV.UK: Rules for printed photos. Rules change without notice, so read the official page before you submit.
What the photo must show
- A close-up of your full head and upper shoulders, with no other people or objects and no red eye.
- Face forwards, looking straight at the camera, with a plain expression and your mouth closed.
- Eyes open and visible, with no hair in front of them.
- Nothing covering your face, and no head covering unless it is for religious or medical reasons.
- No shadows on your face or behind you.
- Avoid glasses unless you have to wear them. If you do, they cannot be sunglasses or tinted, and the frames, glare or reflection must not cover your eyes.
- Children must be alone in the picture. Children under 6 do not have to look straight at the camera or keep a plain expression, and babies under 1 do not need their eyes open.
Printed photo or digital photo?
There are two routes, and they need different photos.
- Paper application: two identical printed photos, 45 × 35 mm. GOV.UK also says printed photos must not be “a cut down version of a larger picture”, so take a new head-and-shoulders photo for the purpose and do not cut a face out of a holiday or group picture.
- Online application: a digital photo. You can get one with a code from a photo booth or shop, or take one on your own device with someone helping you. GOV.UK notes that booth and shop photos are more likely to be approved than photos taken on your own device.
Common problems to avoid
- The head measures less than 29 mm or more than 34 mm. The tool measures this for you.
- A white background. The printed photo rule is cream or light grey, with clear contrast between you and the background.
- Shadows on the face or on the wall behind, usually from a single lamp or overhead light.
- An old photo. It must have been taken in the last month, even if you look the same.
- Cropping a photo for an online application. Online photos are cropped by HM Passport Office, not by you.
✓ Good: plain background, even light, neutral face
✕ Shadow on the wall and face
✕ Busy background
✕ Glare on glasses
✕ Selfie taken too close
✕ Too dark, orange light
More on this in why ID photos get rejected. The examples use an off-white wall. The background row in the table above gives the exact colour this document asks for.
How to use this tool
- Ask someone to take the photo from about 1.5 m, at eye level, in even daylight in front of a plain wall.
- Add the photo above. The tool finds your face and frames it to the size on this page.
- Check the green lines: one on the top of your head, one on your chin. Drag or zoom to adjust.
- Read the automatic checks, then download. Nothing in the photo is retouched, only cropped and resized.
Applying online? Choose the online option above the tool. It checks your photo exactly as it is and has nothing to download: you add your original file to the official application, which crops it for you.
Questions about the UK passport photo
Should I crop my photo for a UK online passport application?
No. GOV.UK says “Do not crop your photo - it will be done for you”, and the photo must be unaltered by computer software. Take a photo that shows your head, shoulders and upper body against a plain light-coloured background, check it, and add it as it is.
Can I take my own UK passport photo?
For an online application, yes: GOV.UK lets you take a photo on your own device, with someone to help you. It also says photos from a booth or shop are more likely to be approved. For a paper application you need two printed photos of professional standard.
What size is a UK passport photo in pixels?
For online applications GOV.UK asks for at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, between 50 KB and 10 MB. A printed 35 × 45 mm photo at 300 dpi is 413 × 531 pixels.
Can I wear glasses in a UK passport photo?
GOV.UK says to avoid glasses unless you have to wear them. If you must, they cannot be sunglasses or tinted glasses, and nothing, including frames, glare, reflection or shadow, may cover your eyes.
Can I use the same photo as my last passport?
No. GOV.UK says you need a new photo when you get a new passport, even if your appearance has not changed, and it must have been taken in the last month.
Guides for this photo
- Why passport and ID photos get rejectedThe reasons authorities list themselves, and how to avoid each
- How to take a passport photo at homeDistance, light, background and pose, step by step
- Are edited or AI passport photos allowed?What ten authorities say about retouching, filters and AI
- How to print passport photos on 4 × 6 paperHow many fit, the settings to use, and the right paper
- Can I take my own passport photo?Where a home photo is accepted, and where it is not