UK Passport Photo (35 × 45 mm)
Crop your photo to the 35 × 45 mm size HM Passport Office requires, with a guide for the 29–34 mm chin-to-crown rule.
Drop a photo here
or click to browse — a straight-on head-and-shoulders shot works best
Your photo is processed on your device and never uploaded.
UK passport photo rules. 35 × 45 mm. Face from chin to crown must measure 29–34 mm on a 45 mm tall photo — about 64% to 76% of the image height. Background: plain light grey or cream. Photo must be taken within the last month.
- Digital photos must be at least 600 × 750 px and between 50 KB and 10 MB.
- Neutral expression with your mouth closed — no smiling.
- Eyes open and clearly visible, no hair across them, no head tilt.
- Do not wear glasses if you can avoid it.
This tool crops and sizes your photo correctly. It cannot judge your expression, lighting or shadows, and it does not guarantee acceptance — check the official rules at GOV.UK / HM Passport Office before you submit.
How it works
- Drop in a straight-on photo taken against a plain light grey or cream background.
- Drag and zoom until the top of your head and your chin sit inside the blue guides.
- Download the photo for an online application, or the 6×4 print sheet for physical copies.
Frequently asked questions
- What size is a UK passport photo?
- 45 mm tall by 35 mm wide for a printed photo. For a digital application the image must be at least 600 × 750 pixels, in JPEG, and between 50 KB and 10 MB. This tool outputs 827 × 1063 pixels, which is 35 × 45 mm at 300 DPI and comfortably above the minimum.
- How large should my face be?
- Between 29 mm and 34 mm from the bottom of your chin to the crown of your head, on a 45 mm tall photo — roughly 64% to 76% of the image height. The blue guides mark that band, so you can position the crop against it rather than measuring afterwards.
- What background colour does the UK require?
- Plain and light-coloured — cream or light grey. That differs from the United States, which asks for white or off-white, so a photo prepared for a US application is not automatically right for a UK one. Avoid patterns, furniture, other people and any shadow falling on the wall behind you.
- Can I smile?
- No. HM Passport Office asks for a neutral expression with your mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible, no hair across your eyes and no head tilt. This is stricter than the US, which permits a natural smile. Look straight at the camera with a plain, relaxed face.
- How recent does the photo have to be?
- Taken within the last month — a notably tighter rule than most countries, which typically allow six months. It applies even if your appearance has not changed, so an old photo that still looks like you is not acceptable.
- Will this guarantee acceptance?
- No. It gets the measurable parts right — dimensions, head proportion, pixel size and file size. It cannot judge lighting, shadows, expression or whether your background is genuinely plain, which is where most rejections come from. Check the result against the guidance on GOV.UK before submitting.
About this tool
UK passport photos are 35 × 45 mm, and the rule that catches people out is the head size: your face must measure 29 to 34 mm from chin to crown. On a 45 mm photo that is a narrow band — roughly 64% to 76% of the height — and it is not something you can judge by eye. This tool draws it on your photo while you position the crop.
For digital applications the file must be at least 600 × 750 pixels and between 50 KB and 10 MB. The output here is 827 × 1063 pixels, which is the correct physical size at 300 DPI and sits well clear of the minimum, so the same file works for an online application and for printing.
Two UK-specific rules differ from the American ones and trip up anyone reusing a photo. The background must be light grey or cream rather than white, and you must not smile — HM Passport Office wants a neutral expression with the mouth closed, where the US permits a natural smile. The photo must also have been taken within the last month, which is far tighter than the six months most countries allow.
If you need printed copies, the 6×4 sheet tiles your photo onto a standard photo print with cutting guides. High-street photo booths charge several pounds for a strip; an ordinary 6×4 print costs a fraction of that and yields more copies. As with everything here, the work happens inside your browser and your photograph is never uploaded — worth caring about for an image intended as identification.