How to Make a Passport Photo at Home Using Your Phone

Background and lighting first

Stand or sit facing a window or another source of soft, even light, with the light on your face rather than behind you. The background needs to be plain — a blank wall in white or another light color works, as long as it's smooth and shadow-free. Keep your shadow off the wall: stand a step or two in front of it.

Many authorities require a white background. The passport photo maker can help here: it removes the background on-device and replaces it with plain white, so a clean-but-not-perfect wall is enough. There's also a fade option that blurs and lightens the background instead.

Camera position, framing, and expression

• Use the front camera so you can see yourself, and set the phone at eye height — propping it up beats holding it.
• Frame your head and shoulders the way official examples show: facing straight at the camera, head not tilted, both ears visible when the rules ask for them.
• Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open, no smile or a very light one depending on what the authority allows — many countries are strict about this.
• Keep glasses off unless the rules explicitly allow them, and avoid glare if they must stay on.
• Hair off your face, and nothing covering your head unless it's worn daily for religious or medical reasons.

In the app, on-screen face guidance helps you align your face while you take the shot, so framing is one less thing to eyeball.

Why sizes and rules differ by country

A US passport photo is 2×2 inches; a Schengen visa photo is typically 35×45 mm; a Canada passport photo is 50×70 mm. Dimensions aren't the only difference — background color, head size within the frame, photo age, and whether digital or printed copies are accepted all vary by country and sometimes by document type within a country. A photo that passes for one application can be rejected for another. That's why the only safe workflow is: find the requirements of the issuing authority first, then make the photo to match.

The app includes presets for common sizes — US, Canada, UK, Schengen, EU/ICAO, China, India, and Australia, plus a custom size — and the passport photo maker page links to official sources such as the U.S. Department of State, GOV.UK, and the Australian Passport Office so you can verify current requirements yourself. Presets are conveniences, not official guidance: always confirm against the authority's current rules before you submit.

Making the photo in the app

1. Pick the preset that matches your application, or set a custom size.
2. Align your face with the on-screen guidance and take the photo with the front camera.
3. Remove the background (or fade it) so the photo sits on plain white.
4. Adjust brightness and contrast in the editor if the photo needs it.
5. Export the photo at the preset size, or as a print sheet to print at home or at a photo service.

Background removal runs on your device using a model bundled in the app — the photo isn't uploaded anywhere for processing, and no account is required.

Printing the result

A digital file is only useful if your application accepts one; many still want prints. The print-sheet export lays out the photo on a standard 4×6-inch sheet, which you can print at home on photo paper or take to a print shop. Print at the required size, in color, on matte or glossy paper according to the rules, and make sure the printer doesn't stretch or crop the image — measure the result if you have any doubt.

Before you submit

• Check the issuing authority's current requirements one more time — background, size, head size, photo age, and print versus digital.
• Look at the final photo next to the official examples. If something looks off, retake it now rather than after a rejection.
• Keep the original capture in case you need to re-edit a different size for a second application.

No app can guarantee acceptance — officials apply their own checks, and requirements change. What a careful home setup does is give you a photo that meets the written requirements, made at your convenience.

Frequently asked questions