A photo booth can cost a fair bit per session. But if you size a phone photo to the required dimensions yourself, a store print can bring the cost down to a fraction of that. This article shows how to make your own ID photo and print it at a store, with tips on getting the size right.
With ID photos, getting the size right is everything
ID photos have a required size that depends on the use. Common examples (always check the exact requirement of whoever you're submitting to):
- Many resumes / driver's licenses (JP): 40mm tall x 30mm wide
- Passport (many countries): 45mm tall x 35mm wide
- US passport: 2 x 2 inches (about 51 x 51mm)
So making your own ID photo requires one step: resizing the photo to an exact measurement. That's where people get stuck — but a phone print-size app lets you nail it by simply entering the size. The app we make, Perfect Print, works for this.
Steps to make and print your own ID photo
Prepare the photo
Shoot straight-on against a plain wall in good light. Watch for shadows on the face and stray hair. Crop around the face as needed.
Choose a paper size
Open Perfect Print and select L-size (89 x 127mm). It's a standard photo-print size at stores and just right for laying out several ID photos.
Set the required size in cm
Pick the photo and enter the required size (e.g. 4cm x 3cm). Duplicate the same photo and arrange copies to fit several ID photos onto one L-size sheet.
Print at a store
Register the saved image with a store print service and select "Photo print → L-size" at the copier. Then cut along the lines. (In Japan: Seven-Eleven netprint, or Lawson/FamilyMart PrintSmash.)
Tips for a clean result
- Print at actual size: unless you print at "actual size / 100%," the required dimensions will drift. L-size photo prints are output at actual size by default.
- Batch several together: fitting 4–6 onto one L-size sheet gives you multiple ID photos in a single print, cutting cost.
- Confirm the requirement: resumes, passports, and applications each need different sizes. Always check the exact requirement before you make it.
One caveat
Perfect Print is an app for resizing a photo to an exact cm size and printing it. Whether the result is accepted as an official ID photo depends on meeting the destination's rules (background color, face ratio, how recent it is, and so on). For official uses like passports, a photo that doesn't meet the spec may be rejected — so review each requirement carefully.
Available for iOS / Android · No registration required
Frequently asked questions
How much can I save by making an ID photo myself?
A photo booth costs a set fee per session, but making your own and batching several onto a low-cost store print (often well under a dollar per L-size sheet) gives you multiple ID photos for very little.
What size in cm should I use?
It depends on the use — 40x30mm and 45x35mm are common, and a US passport is 2x2 inches. Always confirm the destination's requirement. In Perfect Print you just enter that measurement.
How many can I fit on one sheet?
It depends on the size, but you can fit roughly 4–6 photos of 40x30mm on an L-size sheet. Duplicate the same photo and arrange the copies to make them all in one print.
Is this app alone enough for an official ID photo?
Perfect Print handles sizing and print layout. Whether it's accepted depends on the destination's rules (background, face ratio, etc.), so prepare a photo that meets those requirements first.