How to make a passport photoat home in 7 steps
A walkthrough of making an official passport photo at home — take the photo with your phone, crop to the country's exact size in your browser, and print at the drugstore for under $1.
- 1
Take a clear front-facing photo
Use natural daylight where possible — by a window during the day works well. Stand 1–2 metres in front of a plain white or light-coloured wall. Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. No hats, no sunglasses, no shadows on your face. A phone camera at eye level is fine.
- 2
Open the FileHook passport photo maker
Go to the passport photo page in any modern browser. Nothing to install. The maker runs entirely in your browser tab — your photo never leaves your device.
- 3
Pick your destination country
Search or browse the 67 country specs (US, UK, Canada, Schengen, India, Australia, Japan, Brazil and many more). Each spec loads the official photo size, head height rule, and approved background colours for that country.
- 4
Crop to the country's official size
Drop your photo onto the maker. Drag to reposition. Use the slider to zoom. The crop frame is locked to the country's official ratio (for example US 2x2 inch with 50–69% head height). When the head fits inside the green guide lines, you're good.
- 5
Pick an approved background colour
Each country has approved background colours — usually white, off-white, light grey or light blue. Pick one from the list. The optional fill tool swaps near-white pixels in your photo for the chosen colour, useful if your original background was slightly off.
- 6
Download JPG or print sheet
For digital applications (online visa forms, school IDs), download the single JPG. For physical prints, download the 4x6 inch print sheet PDF — it tiles your photo at the correct size with cut marks. Free downloads include a small FileHook tag at the bottom; Pro removes the tag for $9.99/month.
- 7
Print at a drugstore (optional)
Upload the 4x6 print sheet PDF to CVS, Walgreens, Boots, Walmart, Costco or any photo print service, or take a USB stick to a local photo shop. Have them print it as a standard 4x6 photo. Cut along the marks — you get multiple usable copies from one print.
A few things that help the photo pass
- Even lighting beats expensive equipment — face a window during the day.
- Neutral expression — mouth closed, eyes open, looking straight at the camera. Most rejections come from a smile or a tilted head.
- No accessories — no hat, no sunglasses, no headphones. Religious head coverings are usually allowed; check your destination's specific rules.
- Privacy — the maker runs in your browser. Your photo never uploads.
How to make a passport photo — FAQ
Do I need a professional camera to make a passport photo?+
No. A modern phone camera (any iPhone or Android from the last few years) takes high-enough-resolution photos for any passport size. Daylight near a window beats a low-light room.
What about the background colour?+
Stand in front of a plain wall — white, off-white, or light grey usually works. If the wall is too coloured, the background fill in the maker can swap near-white pixels to the country's approved colour after you crop.
Will my home-made passport photo be accepted?+
For most countries, yes — the official rules are about size, head position and background, not about who took the photo. If you're submitting to a strict embassy or a passport book application that explicitly bans home photos, you may still need a professional. For visa-on-arrival, online forms and most renewals, a home photo printed at a drugstore is widely accepted.
How much does it cost to make a passport photo at home?+
Free if you only need the digital JPG (free tier includes a small FileHook tag at the bottom). Pro is $9.99/month if you need a clean photo without the tag for official submissions. Drugstore prints of the 4x6 sheet typically cost $0.40–$0.80.
Can my child or baby use the same tool?+
Yes — the same country specs apply. For babies, lay them on a plain light-coloured sheet, take the photo from directly above, and use the maker's crop guide to position the head correctly. Eyes open if possible, but most countries allow a small exception for newborns.
Try the steps now
Walk through the flow above with your own photo. Should take under five minutes including the crop.
Edit a PDF now