How-to guide
How to take a passport photo at home
A guide to taking a good passport-style source photo at home before you validate, crop, and export it in the browser.
Stand in even light, keep the camera level, and leave enough room around the head so the final crop is flexible.
A good document photo starts before cropping. A clean source photo reduces the need for risky fixes later.
How it works
Use even front lighting
Face a window or soft light to reduce harsh shadows.
Keep the camera level
Avoid tilt and exaggerated perspective from low or high angles.
Leave crop space
Do not shoot too tight. The checker needs room for head-size and top-margin adjustment.
Use a plain background
If the background is not clean enough, remove it externally before final preparation.
Common issues
Harsh side shadows
Busy background
Phone too close to the face
Smile or open mouth
Need a clean background first?
Remove the background in a separate tool, then return here to finish the crop, size, and export.
Background cleanup opens in a separate tool. Remove it there, then return here to crop and export.
Remove backgroundValidate the photo in the checker
Upload the portrait, compare it against a requirement profile, and export a print-ready result.
Open editorFAQ
Can I use a phone camera?
Yes, if the photo is sharp, evenly lit, and not distorted by being too close.
Should I use portrait mode?
Usually no. Artificial background blur can create edge artifacts around hair and ears.