Passport Photo Printing Guide 2026

Written and fact-checked by the PassportLayout team · Last verified: 7 July 2026

Printing passport photos correctly is just as important as taking them correctly. This guide explains everything you need to know — paper types, printer settings, the critical scale setting, and the alternatives if you don't have a printer at home.

Understanding DPI and Print Size

DPI stands for "dots per inch" — the density of ink dots when an image is printed. Passport photos must be printed at 300 DPI to produce sufficient detail at the small physical sizes involved. At 300 DPI, a US passport photo (2×2 inches / 51×51 mm) is rendered at 600×600 pixels (602×602 when measured from the metric size). A UK/EU photo (35×45 mm) is rendered at 413×531 pixels.

PassportLayout.online generates all output at 300 DPI. The downloaded PNG file contains the correct pixel dimensions for the number of photos in your chosen layout. When you print this file at 100% scale on the correct paper size, each individual photo will be physically exact.

If you use a lower resolution image — for example, a photo with only 150 DPI — the printed result will look visibly soft or slightly blurry when viewed closely. This will not usually be rejected for passport purposes (the photos are tiny), but it is avoidable. Use PassportLayout.online's 300 DPI output for the best result.

Choosing the Right Paper

Standard office paper (copy paper, bond paper) is not acceptable for passport photos. You must use photographic paper. Here are the main options:

Paper weight: Use 200–260 gsm (grams per square metre) photographic paper for the best feel and resistance to bending. Thinner paper (below 180 gsm) can crease easily. Most reputable photo paper brands (Canon, Epson, HP, Kodak, Fuji) offer paper in this weight range.

Home Printer Settings

Before you print, check these settings in your operating system's print dialog:

Scale / Size Setting — Critical

This is the most important setting. You must print at exactly 100% (actual size) — the PassportLayout.online layout is generated at the exact physical dimensions of your paper, so any scaling makes every photo on the sheet the wrong size. Do not use:

• "Fit to page" — this shrinks or stretches the image to fill the paper
• "Fill page" — same problem
• "Scale to fit" — same problem
• Any custom percentage other than 100%

In macOS Preview: File → Print → select "Actual Size" in the scale options. In Windows Photo Viewer: Print → "Actual size" from the size dropdown. In Chrome browser: Print → select "Actual size" (not "Fit to page").

Paper Size

Select the paper size that matches the paper loaded in your printer. PassportLayout.online generates layouts for A4, A5, 4×6", 5×7", US Letter, and custom sizes. When you download the layout PNG, the embedded DPI metadata tells your printer the correct physical size — but only if you print at 100% scale.

A common approach is to use 4×6" (10×15 cm) photo paper — this is the standard "photo print" size widely available at pharmacies, supermarkets, and office supply stores. PassportLayout.online's 4×6" layout fits multiple passport photos on one sheet:

• US 2×2" on 4×6": 2 photos per sheet
• UK/EU 35×45mm on 4×6": 6 photos per sheet
• Canada 50×70mm on 4×6": 2 photos per sheet

How many prints you actually need also varies by country — do not assume you must print a large batch. A US passport application needs just one photo, Schengen visa applications usually ask for two, and at India's Passport Seva Kendras your photo is captured live at the counter, so printed photos are often not required at all. Check your country's requirement page before printing, and keep one or two spares in case a print is damaged.

Print Quality / Resolution

Set the print quality to the highest available option — typically labeled "Best", "Photo", or "High Quality". This ensures the printer uses the maximum ink density for sharp, accurate colour reproduction. Do not use "Draft" or "Economy" mode.

Colour Profile

Set the colour mode to "Colour" (not greyscale or monochrome). If your printer software offers colour profile options, use the profile recommended for your specific photo paper brand. Mismatched colour profiles can cause skin tones to look unnatural or backgrounds to appear slightly off-white.

Inkjet vs. Laser Printers

Inkjet printers are the standard choice for home photo printing. They produce better colour gradients and more accurate skin tones than laser printers. Use a dedicated photo paper designed for inkjet use.

Laser printers can produce acceptable passport photos if used with laser-compatible photo paper (sometimes called "laser glossy" paper). Standard glossy inkjet paper will not work in a laser printer and may damage the printer. Laser prints can appear slightly different in colour from the screen preview due to toner characteristics. Results vary significantly by printer model.

If you are unsure, printing at a pharmacy, photo lab, or online print service is the most reliable option — they use professional dye-sublimation or wet process photo printers that produce certified photo-quality output.

Pharmacy and In-Store Printing Options

If you don't have a suitable printer at home, pharmacies and retail stores offer passport photo printing services. The chains below are US-based — if you are printing for a US application, make sure your photo meets the 2×2 inch US requirements before uploading. Here is what to know for each major option:

Important: When Uploading to a Print Service

When uploading the PassportLayout.online generated image to a print service kiosk or website:

• Select the print size that matches the layout you chose in PassportLayout.online (e.g. if you chose 4×6" paper layout, select "4×6" print" at the kiosk)
• Select "Do not crop" or "Fit image" — not "Fill frame" or "Crop to fill"
• If the kiosk shows a white border around the image, that is correct — do not zoom to remove it
• Do not use the kiosk's "remove red eye" or "auto enhance" features — these can alter the image and cause rejection

Cutting Out the Photos

After printing, you need to cut out the individual photos. PassportLayout.online's output includes faint cut lines between photos to guide cutting.

For clean, straight cuts:

• Paper trimmer / guillotine cutter: The best tool for clean, straight cuts. Available at office supply stores for under $20. Produces professional-looking results.
• Metal ruler + craft knife: Place the ruler along the cut line and draw the knife along it on a cutting mat. Produces very clean edges.
• Scissors: Acceptable for rough cutting but harder to get perfectly straight edges. Use sharp scissors and cut slowly along the guide lines.

Cut exactly on the cut lines — do not leave white borders around each photo. The photo dimensions are measured including the background to the edge of the paper, so the cut line is the edge of the photo.

After Printing: Handling and Submission

Handle printed passport photos with care. Oils from your fingertips can leave smudges on glossy paper that are visible in the final scan. Hold photos by the edges.

Do not write on the front of the photo. If you need to write anything on the back (such as a guarantor signature for Canada or an endorsement for Australia), use a soft pencil or a pen with slow-drying ink, and press very lightly to avoid indenting the front surface.

Do not fold, staple, or paperclip photos before submission. Store them in a small envelope or cardboard sleeve until you submit your application.

Troubleshooting Common Print Problems

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Guides

Sources

• ICAO Doc 9303 — Machine Readable Travel Documents — the international biometric portrait standard, including print quality expectations
• Our country requirement pages — each verified against the issuing authority, including print sizes and how many photos each application needs