US Passport Photo Maker (2 × 2 in)
Get a 2 × 2 inch photo framed to the State Department’s head-size rules, on white, plus a 4 × 6 sheet for any photo printer.
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How to make a 2 × 2 inch US passport photo
The State Department asks for a color photo exactly 2 × 2 inches, with your head between 1 and 1⅜ inches tall and a white or off-white background. Getting those numbers right is fiddly by hand. Drop in a photo and this page sizes and centers your head, whitens the background and prepares a print you can pick up for the price of a standard photo.
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Step 1
Take the photo
Face the camera, neutral expression, both eyes open, no glasses. Even light from the front works best.
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Step 2
Add it here
The US passport preset is already selected. The AI finds your face and measures your head.
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Step 3
Check the guides
Green means the head height and eye line are inside the State Department ranges. Adjust if you like.
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Step 4
Print on 4 × 6
Save the 4 × 6 inch sheet with two photos and print it at a pharmacy kiosk or photo lab at actual size.
The US rules in plain numbers
- Size: 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm), which is 600 × 600 pixels at 300 DPI.
- Head: 1 to 1⅜ inches (25 to 35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the hair.
- Eyes: between 1⅛ and 1⅜ inches above the bottom edge of the photo.
- Background: plain white or off-white, with no shadows or patterns.
- Glasses: not allowed, except in rare medical cases with a signed doctor’s note.
- Age of photo: taken within the last six months.
We aim for the middle of each range, which leaves room for small differences in how a kiosk prints. The official source is the U.S. Department of State’s passport photo page, linked inside the tool.
Renewing online or applying for a visa
If you renew your passport online, you upload a digital photo instead of mailing prints. Use the single-photo option: it saves a square 600 × 600 JPG framed to the same rules. For a US visa application on the DS-160 form, switch the document to “US visa” so the file is also kept under the 240 KB upload limit.
Both digital options are plain JPG files with no editing traces and no filters, which matters because the State Department rejects photos that look retouched. Our background swap changes only the area behind you; your face is left exactly as the camera captured it.
Common reasons US photos get rejected
According to State Department guidance, the usual problems are shadows on the face or background, photos that are too dark or blurry, heads that are too small or too large, and glasses. This page fixes two of those automatically: the head size and the background. The others come down to the original picture.
A practical setup: stand facing a window during the day, about two feet in front of any wall, with a second person holding the phone level with your eyes. Take several shots and use the clearest one. If the tool says your photo looks soft after resizing, step a little closer to the camera and try again.
Printing a 2 × 2 photo cheaply
The 4 × 6 inch sheet holds two US photos with space around each one for trimming, and that is all most applications need. Upload the sheet file to any pharmacy or supermarket photo service, order a standard glossy or matte 4 × 6 print, and cut along the faint gray lines. Make sure the kiosk prints the whole image without cropping or adding borders. Choose the A4 sheet instead if you have photo paper at home; it fits fifteen copies.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a US passport photo in pixels?
At the standard print resolution of 300 DPI, 2 × 2 inches is 600 × 600 pixels. Online renewal also asks for a square digital photo; check the renewal page for its current pixel limits.
How big should my head be in a 2 × 2 photo?
Between 1 and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of your chin to the top of your hair, which is 50 to 69 percent of the photo height.
Can the background be light gray?
The State Department asks for white or off-white. This preset only offers those two colors so you cannot pick a wrong one by accident.
Can I smile in my passport photo?
A natural smile is allowed if both eyes stay open, but a neutral expression with your mouth closed is the safest choice.
Is a photo taken at home accepted?
Yes, home photos are accepted when they meet the rules. Good lighting and a straight-on angle matter most; this page takes care of the size and background.
Do you keep a copy of my photo?
No. Everything is processed in your browser and nothing is uploaded, so there is no copy on any server.