United States Passport Photo Maker

Create a 2 × 2 in United States passport photo from your own picture. Face detection, cropping and export all run in your browser.

No eyeglasses. Glasses are not allowed in US passport photos except in rare cases with a signed medical statement; see the official page. Take yours off before the photo.

The digital file from this tool suits printing and US visa uploads. Online passport portals have their own conditions, so check them on the official page before you upload.

Background: U.S. rules do not allow digitally edited backgrounds. Take your photo against a plain white or off-white wall.

Choose a portrait photo or drag & drop it here Front-facing, good light, plain background · processed on your device, never uploaded

United States passport photo requirements

Printed size	2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm)
Head height (chin to top of hair)	Top of hair to bottom of chin: 1 inch to 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm). The U.S. Department of State measures to the top of the hair.
Background	Plain white or off-white
Digital file from this tool	1200 × 1200 px JPEG, max 240 KB
Editing	Not allowed by the official source (background replacement is off)
Print sheet from this tool	6 copies on 4×6 in (10×15 cm), 300 dpi

Rules from the official source

2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm) colour photo.
The height of the head (top of hair to bottom of chin) should measure 1 inch to 1 3/8 inches (25 mm - 35 mm).
You can smile in your photo. Just make sure your eyes are open and your mouth is closed.
Plain white or off-white background, with no shadows on the face or behind you.
No eyeglasses: they must be removed (a rare exception needs a signed medical statement; see the official page).
Do not change your photo using computer software, phone apps or filters, or artificial intelligence.
Do not stretch or compress your image to resize it.

How to use the tool

Take a front-facing photo in even light against a plain wall, or pick an existing one.
Upload it. The tool finds your face, eyes and chin, and crops the photo to 2 × 2 in.
Check the red line sits on the very top of your hair (not your forehead) and the green line on your chin. Drag a line to correct it; the crop refits automatically.
When the head position is within range and you have ticked the confirmation box, download the digital photo and/or the 4×6 in print sheet. If the tool says the photo is too close, retake it with more space around your head.

Common mistakes that lead to rejection

Changing the photo. The source says: "Do not change your photo using computer software, phone apps or filters, or artificial intelligence."
Cutting out the background. The source lists as unacceptable: "The background is cropped using a photo retouching tool, changing the outline of your head, face, and neck."
Resizing by stretching. The source says: "Do not stretch or compress your image to resize it." This tool only crops, then resizes by one equal factor in both directions.
Wearing glasses. They must be removed (a rare exception needs a signed medical statement; see the official page).
An open mouth or closed eyes.
Shadows on the face or on the wall behind you.
Head too small or too large in the frame. The head is measured from the top of the hair to the chin, not from the forehead.
Photo taken too close, so the top of the head or the shoulders are cut off.
Tilted head or looking away from the camera.
Busy or coloured background instead of a plain wall.

Editing and retouching

Not allowed by the official source. The source says: Do not change your photo using computer software, phone apps or filters, or artificial intelligence. Listed as unacceptable: "The background is cropped using a photo retouching tool, changing the outline of your head, face, and neck." Source. This tool only offers background replacement where an official source explicitly allows editing.

Frequently asked questions

What size is a US passport photo?

A 2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm) colour photo. The height of the head, from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, should measure 1 inch to 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm), on a plain white or off-white background.

Can I smile in a US passport photo?

Yes. The Department of State says you can smile, as long as your eyes are open and your mouth is closed.

Can I change the background of my photo?

No. U.S. rules do not allow digitally edited backgrounds, so this page does not replace the background. Take your photo against a plain white or off-white wall.

Is my photo uploaded anywhere?

No. Face detection, cropping and export all run inside your browser. Your photo never leaves your device.

Official source

U.S. Department of State (travel.state.gov): https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/apply/help/photos.html. Last verified by us: 2026-10-05. Rules can change, so always check the official page before you apply.

PhotoID Ready is independent and not affiliated with any government agency. Whether a photo is accepted is always decided by the issuing authority.