2x2 inches, and a head-height window that matters more
The US passport photo canvas is a perfect 2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm) square. What actually gets photos rejected is not the canvas, though — it's the head inside it. The State Department requires the head, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head including hair, to fall between 1 and 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm). A photo that is exactly 2x2 inches with a head outside that range is rejected just as often as one cropped to the wrong size, which is why the guide lines in this tool are the part that matters — the crop is just what happens once your head sits between them.
What US rules specifically require
- Background: plain white or off-white, with no shadows, patterns or texture.
- Glasses: not permitted, even prescription ones - take the photo without them.
- Headwear: not allowed except for documented religious or medical reasons, and the full face must remain visible.
- Expression: neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open and clearly visible.
- Colour: a full-colour photo, not black and white.
- Recency: taken within the last 6 months, reflecting your current appearance.
This tool gets the size and head placement right, which is the most common reason US passport photos come back. It cannot judge lighting, background or expression - that part is on the photo itself, not the crop.
Taking the photo yourself
A phone camera is fine; the technique matters more than the hardware. The most common mistake is a selfie at arm's length — the closeness distorts your nose and compresses the sides of your face in a way that can fail the State Department's facial-recognition check even when it looks fine to the eye. Have someone else take the photo from about two metres away with a normal (not ultra-wide) lens instead.
For the background, stand a good arm's length in front of a plain white or light wall so you don't cast a shadow onto it, and use soft, even light - daylight from a window works well, or two lights angled roughly 45 degrees on either side. Avoid direct flash pointed straight at your face, which flattens features and can bleach out detail.
Digital upload vs. a printed photo
Online passport renewal accepts a digital JPEG upload of at least 600×600 pixels - this tool's default 300 DPI setting produces exactly that for a 2x2 inch photo. If you're applying by mail, in person, or want a physical print as a backup, use the print sheet option: it lays several copies out on a 4×6 inch sheet with thin cut lines, since photo shops and pharmacies print that size cheaply and a single print gives you multiple passport photos.
Resolution
300 DPI is the standard and the default here, producing 600×600 px for the full 2x2 inch photo - right at the State Department's stated minimum with no wasted margin. Choose 600 DPI only if you specifically want extra resolution for a large print; going below 300 risks a soft result or an outright rejection by upload systems that check pixel dimensions before a human reviews anything.
Everything happens in your browser using the canvas API. Your photo is never uploaded to a server - for a US government identity document, that's worth more than it might sound.