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How to take a passport photo with your iPhone or Android phone

Your phone's camera is sharp enough for any passport or visa photo. These settings and steps get a photo that passes, whether you have an iPhone or an Android phone.

Before you start: the right settings

  • Use the rear camera in the normal Photo mode, at 1x zoom. The rear camera is sharper, and a helper can frame you properly.
  • Turn off the flash, filters and beauty modes. Some phone cameras smooth skin automatically; passport authorities reject retouched faces.
  • Do not use Portrait mode. It blurs the background and can relight your face by software, which counts as editing.
  • Turn on the grid. It helps keep the phone upright and your head level.

Take the photo with an iPhone

  1. Turn on the grid: open Settings, tap Camera, then turn on Grid and Level.
  2. Open Camera and choose Photo mode at 1x.
  3. If nobody can help, set the timer: tap the Camera Controls button (or swipe up above the camera modes), tap Timer, then 3s, 5s or 10s. Prop the phone at eye level.
  4. Stand facing a window, about half a meter to a meter in front of a plain light wall. The camera should be about 1.5 meters (5 feet) from you.
  5. Look straight into the lens, head level, eyes open, mouth closed, and take several shots.
  6. Open your document’s photo maker in Safari and upload the best shot.

HEIC files: iPhones save photos as HEIC by default. Safari on the iPhone opens them, but some browsers on other computers do not. To save new photos as JPEG instead, open Settings, tap Camera, tap Formats, then Most Compatible.

Take the photo with an Android phone

Camera apps differ between brands, but they all have the same tools. On a Google Pixel:

  1. Open Camera, then open the settings (bottom left) and set Timer to 3 or 10 seconds if you are alone.
  2. In More settings, set a Grid type to keep the phone straight.
  3. Make sure the flash is off and no filter or face retouching is on.

On Samsung, Motorola and other phones the timer, grid and beauty settings are in the camera app’s settings too. Then follow steps 4 to 6 above, uploading the photo in Chrome or your usual browser.

Why the tool does the cropping

Do not crop or resize the photo on your phone. Each document has its own size, head height and eye position, and a phone’s crop tool cannot measure them. Upload the full photo with space around your head and shoulders: the photo maker on your document’s page crops it to the exact size, checks the head, eyes, lighting and background, and writes a file with the right pixel size. It all happens on your phone, so your photo is never uploaded.

Common phone mistakes

  • Too close. An arm’s-length selfie makes the nose larger and the ears disappear.
  • Tilted phone. A phone held below your face looks up your nose; keep it at eye level.
  • Mixed light. A ceiling lamp plus a window gives uneven color and shadows; use the window.
  • Busy background. Door frames, pictures or plants behind you make the photo fail; use a plain wall or a white sheet.
  • Automatic enhancements. Filters and beauty modes change your face; turn them off.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take a passport photo with my iPhone?

Yes. Any recent iPhone takes a sharp enough photo for US, UK, Irish, Schengen and most other documents that accept home photos. Use the rear camera in Photo mode with a helper or the timer, then crop and check the photo with a free tool. Canadian photos are the exception; they must come from a commercial photographer.

Should I use Portrait mode?

No. Portrait mode blurs and relights the background by software, and portrait lighting effects change your face. Passport authorities reject edited photos, and several, including the US and Canada, reject software changes to the background. Use the normal Photo mode.

Why does my iPhone photo not open in the tool?

iPhones save photos as HEIC by default, and some browsers cannot open HEIC files. Open the photo in the tool from Safari on the iPhone, which can read it, or set Settings, Camera, Formats to Most Compatible so new photos are saved as JPEG.

Can I take a passport photo selfie?

It is better not to. The front camera held at arm's length is too close, which distorts the face and tilts the head, and Ireland does not accept selfies at all. Put the phone on a stand or against a stack of books at eye level and use the 3 or 10-second timer.

Which camera settings should I turn off?

Turn off the flash, beauty or face-smoothing modes, filters and portrait effects, and keep the zoom at 1x. Authorities reject photos with retouching or filters, and the UK and US name beauty filters and AI tools specifically. Leave everything on automatic otherwise.

How do I get the photo from my phone to a print?

Make the photo in the tool on your phone and download it, or download a 4 x 6 in or 10 x 15 cm print sheet. Send the sheet to a photo counter as one standard print, or print it at home on photo paper at 100% scale.

Sources

  1. Apple Support — Use iPhone camera tools to set up your shot (opened )
  2. Apple Support — Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices (opened )
  3. Google Pixel Camera Help — Change your Camera app settings (opened )
  4. U.S. Department of State — Passport Photos (opened )
  5. HM Passport Office — Photo standards (caseworker guidance) (opened )
  6. Department of Foreign Affairs — Photo guidelines for passports (opened )

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