Make a UK passport photo at the exact required size

Drop a portrait photo here

or click to choose — face forward, plain light background

The UK passport photo size is 35×45 mm, with the head measuring 29 to 34 mm from chin to crown — the standard set by HM Passport Office. Line your head up between the guides, keep the default 600 DPI for an online application (it clears GOV.UK's 600×750 pixel minimum), or add a print sheet for a shop print. This runs online in your browser, so the photo is never uploaded.

Nothing is uploaded — the file stays on your device
No file size limit
No sign-up, no watermark
Free, with no paid tier holding anything back

35x45mm, and a head window tighter than you'd think

A UK passport photo is 35mm wide by 45mm tall. Inside that small frame, HM Passport Office requires the head - chin to crown - to measure between 29mm and 34mm, a narrower window than several other countries use even at the same canvas size. A photo that's exactly 35x45mm with a head outside that 5mm range is rejected just as often as a photo cropped to the wrong size, which is why the guide lines here are the part that matters - the crop is just what happens once your head sits between them.

Where UK rules differ from what you might expect

Background: plain, light-coloured - cream or light grey recommended, not pure white. That's the US standard, not the UK one, and it's a common mix-up.
Glasses: GOV.UK says not to wear them unless you have to; if you must, they cannot be sunglasses or tinted lenses.
Expression: neutral is standard; a slight, closed-mouth smile is generally tolerated, unlike some countries' stricter neutral-only rule.
Cropping from a larger photo: not accepted - the photo must be taken specifically for this purpose, not cropped out of a holiday snap or group photo.
Recency: a genuinely current photo, not a favourite from a few years back - check the exact window on the application itself, as services vary.

This tool gets the size and head placement right, which is the most common technical reason UK passport photos are rejected. It can't judge your lighting, background colour or expression - that part is on the photo itself.

Taking the photo yourself

A phone camera works fine if the technique is right. Avoid a selfie at arm's length - the short distance distorts your nose and compresses your facial proportions in a way that can look subtly wrong and occasionally fails automated checks. Have someone else take the photo from about two metres away with a standard lens, not an ultra-wide one.

Stand a little forward of your background so you don't cast a shadow on it, and use soft, even light - daylight from a window, or two lights angled from either side. Direct flash straight at the face tends to blow out detail and create harsh shadows under the chin, which is a common reason for a retake.

Digital upload vs. a printed photo

UK online passport applications accept a digital upload directly, and GOV.UK asks for a file at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall. A 35x45mm frame at 300 DPI is only 413×531 pixels - too small - so this page defaults to 600 DPI, which produces 827×1063 pixels. If you're applying on paper or need a physical copy for another reason, use the print sheet option to lay several copies out on a 4×6 inch sheet with cut lines, ready for a standard photo print at a pharmacy or supermarket kiosk.

Resolution

600 DPI is the default here because it is the setting that clears the online application's 600×750 pixel minimum, and it prints just as well. 300 DPI is enough for a printed photo on its own, but not for the upload; the tool shows the exact pixel size for the chosen DPI before you download.

Everything runs in your browser using the canvas API - the photo is never sent to a server. There's no account, no sign-up, and no file size limit beyond what your device can handle.

Frequently asked questions

What is the exact UK passport photo size?

35mm wide by 45mm tall. Within that frame, HM Passport Office requires the head - measured from the bottom of the chin to the crown - to be between 29mm and 34mm. A photo cropped to 35x45mm with a head outside that range is still rejected, which is why the guide lines here matter more than the outer crop.

Does the background need to be white?

No - and this is a common mix-up with the US standard, which does want pure white. UK guidance asks for a plain, light-coloured background, with cream or light grey recommended over stark white. Whatever background you use, it needs to be free of patterns, shadows and other objects, with clear contrast between you and it.

Can I upload the digital photo directly, or do I need a print?

Both routes exist. Online applications accept a digital upload, which GOV.UK says must be at least 600 pixels wide and 750 tall - the default 600 DPI here produces 827x1063 pixels, while 300 DPI (413x531) would be too small. If you're applying by post or need a printed photo for another reason, use the print sheet option to lay out several copies on a standard photo print.

Can I smile or wear glasses in a UK passport photo?

GOV.UK asks for a plain expression with your mouth closed, so no smile. On glasses, its rule is: don't wear them unless you have to, and if you must, they cannot be sunglasses or tinted. That is softer than the current US rule, which bans glasses outright, but taking them off is the safe choice.

What DPI should I choose?

600 DPI, the default here. For a 35x45mm photo it produces 827x1063 pixels, above the 600x750 minimum for an online application. 300 DPI gives only 413x531 pixels: fine for a printed photo, but too small to upload.

Is my photo uploaded anywhere to do this?

No. The crop and resize happen entirely on your own device using the browser's canvas API. There's no server involved, no account, and no file size limit beyond what your device can handle.