Passport photo size in pixels, and how to crop one at home

A US passport photo is 2 × 2 inches, which is 600 × 600 pixels at 300 DPI. The 35 × 45 mm size used by the UK, the Schengen and EU countries and many others is 413 × 531 pixels at 300 DPI. Check the official page for your country before you crop, because it sets the size, head position, background and file rules, and those vary.

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Passport photo sizes at a glance

Standard	Physical size	At 300 DPI	At 600 DPI
US passport	2 × 2 in (about 51 × 51 mm)	600 × 600 px	1200 × 1200 px
UK, Schengen and EU countries, and many others	35 × 45 mm	413 × 531 px	827 × 1063 px

The 35 × 45 mm pixel values are rounded to the nearest whole pixel. Other countries use other sizes, so do not assume these two cover your application.

The pixel arithmetic

Two conversions do all the work.

1. Millimetres to inches: divide by 25.4, because one inch is exactly 25.4 mm.
2. Inches to pixels: multiply by the DPI you choose.

For the 35 mm width at 300 DPI, that is 35 ÷ 25.4 × 300 = 413.386, so 413 pixels. For the 45 mm height it is 45 ÷ 25.4 × 300 = 531.496, so 531 pixels. The 2 × 2 inch size is simpler: 2 × 300 = 600 pixels on each side.

DPI only sets the print size of a file. A form asks for pixels, so the pixel count is the number that matters. Saving a file at 300 DPI does not change its pixels, and DPI does not change image size explains why. Resizing for forms covers the pixel side in more detail.

How to crop a passport photo at home

Three steps, in this order: crop the shape, set the pixels, then compress if a limit applies.

1. Crop to the shape. Open the crop tool and drop in the photo. For the 35 × 45 mm size, choose the 35×45 mm shape. The frame then keeps the 35 to 45 ratio, so typing a width sets the height for you. Drag the frame over the head and shoulders, or type the X and Y positions. The frame cannot run past the edges of the photo, so the photo must be large enough to hold it, and the result size appears under the controls. For the US size, choose 1:1 and crop a square.
2. Resize to the exact pixels. Open the resize tool, drop in the cropped file, choose exact pixels and type 413 for the width and 531 for the height. Leave Keep proportions on. Because the crop is already 7 to 9, the photo fits the box and both sides come out at the target. For the US size, type 600 by 600. Turn Keep proportions off only if the crop is slightly off and the form insists on the exact box, and accept a small stretch.
3. Compress only if the form sets a file-size limit. Many upload forms set a maximum file size. Open the compress tool, pick the limit the form gives and download the result. A 413 × 531 photo is small in pixels, so check its size before you compress anything.

The crop tool crops the frame you draw. It does not measure the head, check the background or check the lighting, so those checks stay with you and the official rules.

Before you upload

• Check the pixel size of the final file. The crop readout shows the size after cropping, and the resize step sets the size after that.
• Use the format the form names. A cropped JPG stays a JPG, and a PNG stays a PNG.
• Check the face and background rules on the official page: head size, background colour, expression and glasses. Some official services run their own photo checks and reject files that pass a pixel check.

Compressing usually re-encodes the photo, which drops its location data. With Best for each photo, though, a photo already under the limit is handed back unchanged and keeps its metadata, so check the result if location privacy matters to you. Removing photo location is the step for that.

Mistakes that cause rejections

• Setting the DPI and calling it done. Changing the DPI tag does not change the pixel count the form reads.
• Enlarging a small photo. If the photo is smaller than the target, resizing it up makes it soft. Start from a full-size photo that is at least as tall as the target.
• Stretching by accident. Keep proportions off with a wrong ratio distorts the face. Look at the final file before you upload it.
• Using one size for every country. Each country has its own size and head position. The official page is the source for your application.
• Cropping too tight. Official rules often ask for space above the head and around the shoulders. A crop that cuts the top of the head may be rejected.

Frequently asked questions

What size is a passport photo in pixels?

It depends on the country. At 300 DPI, the US 2 × 2 inch size is 600 × 600 pixels and the 35 × 45 mm size is 413 × 531 pixels. Check the official page for your application, because it sets the rules.

Is 2 × 2 inches the same as 51 × 51 mm?

For practical purposes, yes. Two inches is exactly 50.8 mm, which is usually rounded to 51 mm. Use the inch figure when the form or page gives it.

Do I need 300 DPI for a passport photo?

For a digital upload, the form cares about the pixel count, so 300 DPI is only the number used to work out pixels from a print size. If you print the photo yourself or at a shop, ask for the size in millimetres and send the file at the pixel count that matches it.

Can I resize a 35 × 45 mm photo straight to 413 × 531?

Only if it already has that shape. A photo of a different shape either stretches or leaves empty space. Crop it to the 35 × 45 mm shape first, then resize.