UK Digital Photo Size: 600×750
The UK digital passport photo has two hard, checkable limits: at least 600 x 750 pixels, and between 50KB and 10MB. It must also be clear, in colour and unaltered by software. This guide explains each rule and how to fix a file that fails. Based on GOV.UK photos-for-passports.
The hard numbers
A UK digital passport photo has two measurable requirements, and they are the ones a file check will catch:
| Dimensions | At least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall. |
| File size | At least 50KB and no more than 10MB. |
| Format and quality | Clear and in focus, in colour, unaltered by computer software. |
Note the wording: 600 × 750 is a minimum, not a fixed size. A larger image is fine as long as it stays within the 10MB ceiling. The aspect ratio is portrait (4:5), which is what a phone camera produces naturally.
“Unaltered by computer software” — what that rules out
The requirement is not only about size. The photo must not be altered by computer software, which rules out retouching your face, removing blemishes, or “beautifying” the image. If you take the photo on your own device, the guidance also says: include your head, shoulders and upper body, and do not crop your photo — it will be done for you.
How to check your file
- Dimensions — read the pixel width and height from the file’s properties; resize only if you are under 600 × 750. The image resizer changes pixel dimensions without altering the format.
- File size — check it sits between 50KB and 10MB. If it is over the limit, bring it down with the image compressor.
- Focus and colour — a blurry or grayscale image fails the “clear and in focus / in colour” rule regardless of size.
Run the finished file past the passport photo checker before you submit, and print-check the framing with print calibration if you also need a paper copy.
How the digital size relates to the printed size
The UK paper photo is 35mm × 45mm. The digital standard is independent of that — the 600 × 750 pixel minimum is what matters for an online upload, and the portal crops the photo for you. If you are working from a printed photo, scan it at enough resolution to clear the pixel minimum rather than assuming the print size transfers across.
Related guides
See the wider digital file requirements, the photo code route, and booth vs your own device. For the general upstream workflow, read how to take a passport photo.
Frequently asked questions
Is 600×750 the exact size my photo must be?
No — it is the minimum. Your photo must be at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, and no more than 10MB.
What if my photo is larger than 10MB?
Compress it to below 10MB while keeping it at least 600×750; the image compressor can target a smaller file size.
Can I send a photo straight from my phone?
You can, provided it meets the dimensions, file size, focus, colour and “unaltered” rules — and you do not crop it, as that is done for you.
Can I crop my photo before uploading?
No — the official guidance says do not crop your photo; it will be done for you.
Can my UK passport photo be black and white?
No. The photo must be in colour.
Source: GOV.UK, “Get a passport photo” (gov.uk/photos-for-passports), HM Passport Office, retrieved 2026-09-28. Rules change, so confirm the current guidance before you apply.