Optimize a photo for an upload portal
Make a photo meet an upload form's rules in one step: pixel size, crop, DPI, a minimum and maximum KB and the file format, checked.
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Generic presets are our starting points, not the rule of any authority. Presets named after a portal show the page their numbers come from and the date we last checked it; portals change their rules, so confirm on that page before you upload.
Generic preset: our starting point, not an official rule. Edit the numbers to match your form.
Upload forms tend to reject photos for reasons that have nothing to do with the photo: 601 pixels instead of 600, 250 KB when the limit is 240, a PNG where a JPG was expected, or, less often but more confusing, a file that is too small. This optimizer takes the rules as numbers (width and height, whether to crop or fit, DPI, a minimum and maximum size in KB and the format), applies them in one pass and then checks the finished file against each rule, so you can see that it passes before you go back to the form.
Pick a requirement to start from. Generic presets cover common upload types (a passport-style 35 × 45 mm photo at 300 DPI, a square visa photo, a 3:4 ID photo, a CV photo, website images and social media sizes); they are our starting points, not any authority's rule, and every number can be edited. Presets named after a portal (US visa and DV lottery, Canada PR card, India eVisa, UK online passport, Schengen, Saudi Absher, Bahrain ID and LMRA, Kuwait PACI) show the page their numbers were read from and the date we last checked it, and say when that page is a third-party summary rather than the authority itself. Portals change their rules, so follow the source link and confirm before you upload.
How it works: the photo is cropped from the centre or fitted inside the size, then saved as JPEG (or WebP or PNG) at the highest quality that stays under the maximum. If a portal also sets a minimum, such as Canada's 420 KB, quality is raised and, where the rules allow a larger pixel size, the photo is enlarged within that range, but never beyond the pixels your original has, so detail is not invented. When a window cannot be met, the check says so instead of pretending. DPI is written into the JPEG or PNG header; it is only a printing label and changes no pixels, which is why most digital uploads ignore it.
A centre crop does not know where your face is. For passport and visa photos that need the head at a specific size, crop the photo first with the passport photo maker, which has a head-size guide, and then optimize the result here. The source photo never leaves your device.
Guides with the full rules
Each sourced preset matches one of these guides, which list every requirement with its source (background, expression, age of the photo) and the date it was checked.
How to use it
- Choose the requirement, and adjust the size, KB window, DPI or format if your form says otherwise.
- For a face photo, crop it first with the passport photo maker if the head size matters.
- Drop the photo and click Optimize photo.
- Check the results against the rules, then download the file and upload it.
Frequently asked questions
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. Your browser reads the files and does the work on your device; nothing is sent to a server. The engines (the PDF, image and FFmpeg code) are downloaded from this site the first time an action needs them and then run locally.
Are the portal presets official?
The numbers in a portal preset were read from the page shown next to it, on the date shown. Some authorities publish no numbers, and then the source is a third-party summary; the preset says so. Rules change, so confirm on the official page before you upload. Generic presets are not official at all: they are sensible starting points.
Why would a portal reject a file for being too small?
Some portals, such as the Canada PR card photo upload, set a minimum file size to keep out over-compressed photos. The optimizer raises the quality and, where the rules allow more pixels, the size, until the file is inside the window. If your original is too small to reach it, use a larger original.
Does changing the DPI make the photo sharper?
No. DPI is a label that tells a printer how many pixels to put in an inch. The pixels, and so the sharpness, stay the same. It is written only when a form asks for it; most online uploads look at pixels and KB instead.
Will it centre my face?
No, the crop is taken from the centre of the photo. For passport and visa photos use the passport photo maker to position the head with its size guide, then optimize that result here.
What if the size cannot be reached?
The check next to the download says which rule is not met, for example a file still over the maximum at the lowest quality because the pixel size is fixed. Try a smaller pixel size if the form allows it, or a less detailed photo.
Related tools
- Passport photo maker with print sheetCrop a photo to US 2 × 2 in, UK/Schengen 35 × 45 mm, Canada 50 × 70 mm and more, with a head-size guide, then print a 4 × 6 in sheet.
- Resize an image to exact dimensionsResize by pixels, percentage or presets for visa photos, Instagram and profile pictures.
- Compress an image to under 200 KBFit a photo under 200 KB for applications, CVs and document uploads.
- Compress an image to any file sizeShrink JPG, PNG, WebP or HEIC photos to an exact file size or quality level.
- Bulk image resizer, compressor and renamerResize, compress, convert, rename and strip EXIF from up to 50 images at once, then download them as one ZIP.
- Remove the background from an imageCut the subject out of a photo and get a transparent PNG, or put it on white or any colour.