UK Passport Photo Digital Size - Exact Pixels & Upload Rules
UK digital passport photos must be at least 600 x 750 pixels, while printed photos use 35 x 45 mm. Use the UK helper tool below when you want the digital crop and related upload guidance in one flow. Keep the final file inside the 50KB to 10MB range if you are preparing a digital upload.
Key UK digital rules
Printed size
35 x 45 mm
Digital minimum
600 x 750 px
Format
JPG / JPEG
File size
50KB to 10MB
Why Does the UK Use 600×750 Pixels?
The UK's printed passport photo size is 35×45 mm, which is a 7:9 aspect ratio. At the standard print quality of ~435 DPI (the effective resolution for the UK's digital system), this translates to a minimum of 600 pixels wide × 750 pixels tall. This is the minimum — you can upload larger images, and the GOV.UK system will crop and resize them automatically.
Unlike the U.S. system (which uses a square 600×600 format), the UK uses a portrait rectangle. This is important because uploading a square photo to the UK system will result in incorrect framing. Always check which country's specification you need before cropping.
UK Digital vs. Other Countries
| Country | Digital Size | Shape | File Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | 600 × 750 px (minimum) | Portrait rectangle | 50 KB – 10 MB |
| USA | 600 × 600 px (min) | Square | ≤ 240 KB |
| India | 413 × 531 px (at 300 DPI) | Portrait rectangle | 10 KB – 200 KB (varies) |
| Canada | 591 × 827 px (at 300 DPI) | Portrait rectangle | Varies by application |
How to Prepare a UK Digital Passport Photo
- Take a high-resolution photo — Use a smartphone camera with 8+ megapixels. The resulting image should be at least 600×750 px after cropping.
- Include your full head, shoulders, and upper body — For digital UK applications, the GOV.UK system crops the image automatically. Do not crop tightly around your head.
- Use a plain, light-coloured background — Cream, light grey, or off-white works best. Avoid pure white, which can overexpose pale skin tones.
- Save as JPEG — PNG, BMP, and HEIC are not accepted. Use JPEG format with reasonable quality (80–95%).
- Check file size is 50 KB to 10 MB — Files under 50 KB are too heavily compressed, and files over 10 MB are too large. Most smartphone photos fall within this range naturally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a 600×600 square photo for a UK passport?
No. The UK requires a portrait-format photo (600×750 px minimum). A square 600×600 photo is for U.S. passport and visa applications. Using the wrong aspect ratio will result in incorrect framing and likely rejection.
Do I need to crop my UK digital photo to exactly 600×750?
Not necessarily. The GOV.UK online system accepts photos larger than 600×750 and crops them automatically. However, you should ensure the photo is at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, and that it shows your full head and shoulders.
Why was my UK digital passport photo rejected?
Common reasons include: image too small (under 600×750 px), wrong format (not JPEG), wearing glasses, shadows on the background, mouth open, or the image being too tightly cropped. The GOV.UK system provides specific rejection reasons when it declines a photo.
Can I use an iPhone photo for a UK passport application?
Yes, but iPhones save photos in HEIC format by default, which is not accepted. Convert to JPEG first using our HEIC to JPG converter. Alternatively, change your iPhone settings to save as JPEG: Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible.
Next step
UK passport helper tool
Primary path when you want the UK digital helper crop and upload guidance in one place.
Passport photo size UK
Use this if you want the printed 35 x 45 mm rule explained alongside the digital one.
Validate final photo
Check format, dimensions, and file size before uploading the digital file.