2x2 Photo Maker

About the 2x2 photo maker

A 2x2 photo is a square photo, 2 inches wide and 2 inches tall (51 × 51 mm). It is the photo size for a US passport, a US visa and many USCIS forms such as the green card, the work permit and the travel document.

This free 2x2 photo maker turns a photo you already have into that square. You mark the top of your head and your chin. The tool then scales the picture so your head has the right size: 1 to 1 ⅜ inches from chin to the top of the head. Then it puts 6 copies on one 4 × 6 inch print, which costs much less than a passport photo at a shop.

Everything happens in your browser. Your photo is never uploaded. That matters, because this is a picture of your face.

Features

• 2 × 2 inch frame with the head band and eye line of the US rules drawn on it
• Two head markers — drag them to your crown and chin, and the photo is scaled for you
• Head check — shows your head height in % of the photo, green when it fits
• White background — the background is replaced on your device, or kept as it is
• 600 × 600 px at 300 DPI (or 1200 × 1200 px at 600 DPI), with the DPI saved in the JPG
• Print sheet — 6 photos on a 4 × 6 print, or 20 on a US Letter page, with cut lines
• Remembers your sheet and print quality for next time, on this device only

The US 2 × 2 photo rules

These are the main points of the US State Department photo rules. Check the current rules of the office you apply to before you print.

The tool aims for a head of about 1 ¼ inches (62.5% of the height) with the head band placed so your eyes fall inside the 1 ⅛ to 1 ⅜ inch zone. That leaves room for faces that are a little longer or shorter.

Print 2 × 2 photos on one sheet

A passport needs 1 photo, a green card form often 2. One print gives you spares.

Six 2-inch photos fill a 4 × 6 print exactly, so they touch each other. A thin grey line shows where to cut. Print the sheet as a normal 4 × 6 photo at a photo kiosk or online photo service. Do not choose "fit" or a border, because that would make every photo a little smaller. When you get the print, measure one photo with a ruler: it should be 2 inches wide.

A US Letter page is for home printing. Print it at 100% / actual size on photo paper, not "fit to page".

A 2 × 2 photo for an online form

Some forms take a file instead of paper. The US visa form (DS-160) asks for a square JPG of 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels, 240 KB or less. Both print qualities of this tool are inside that size range: 300 DPI gives 600 × 600 px and 600 DPI gives 1200 × 1200 px. If the file is too big, make it smaller with Compress Image to a Size.

Online forms change often, so read the upload rules on the form itself.

What the tool cannot fix

Some things are decided when the photo is taken, and no crop can change them:

• Glasses off, hair away from your eyes
• Even light on your face, with no shadow behind you
• Face the camera straight, both ears level, mouth closed or a soft smile
• No filters, no beauty mode, no edits to your face
• A plain white wall behind you. The tool can replace a busy background, but hair edges look best when the wall was plain to start with

For the best result, ask someone else to take the photo from about 4 feet (1.2 m) away, at eye height, in daylight from a window in front of you.

Frequently asked questions

What size is a 2x2 photo in pixels?

At 300 DPI, the usual print quality, a 2 × 2 inch photo is 600 × 600 pixels. At 600 DPI it is 1200 × 1200 pixels. This tool writes the DPI into the JPG file, so a photo program prints it at 2 inches.

How big should my head be in a 2x2 photo?

From the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, 1 to 1 ⅜ inches (25–35 mm). That is about 50–69% of the photo height. The tool aims for 1 ¼ inches.

Can I wear glasses in a 2x2 passport photo?

No. For a US passport or visa photo, glasses are not allowed since November 2016. The only exception is a medical reason with a signed doctor's statement.

Can I take a 2x2 photo with my phone?

Yes. Use the back camera if you can, ask someone to hold the phone at your eye height, and stand about 4 feet (1.2 m) from the camera. Do not take a close selfie: it makes the nose look bigger.

Is a 2x2 photo the same as a passport photo?

For the US, yes. Other countries use other sizes, often 35 × 45 mm. For those, use the Passport & ID Photo Maker, which has many document sizes.

Will my photo be accepted?

This tool sizes the photo and the head to the published rules. It cannot promise that an office accepts it, because the person who checks it also looks at light, focus and expression. Check the current rules of the office you apply to.

Related tools

• Passport & ID Photo Maker — other countries and document sizes
• Remove Background — full control over the cutout
• Compress Image to a Size — meet a KB limit for an upload
• Photo Print Layout — put other photos on one print sheet
• Change Image DPI — check or set the print size of a photo

How to use it

• Upload a photo of yourself, taken face-on against a plain wall
• Drag the two blue markers to the top of your head and the bottom of your chin
• Press "Fit to my marks" — the photo is scaled so your head is the right size for a 2 × 2 photo
• Drag the photo to centre your face, and straighten it if it is tilted
• Check the background — plain white is chosen for you; pick "Keep the original" if your wall is already white
• Download the 2x2 photo for an online form, or download the print sheet and print it as a 4 × 6 photo