How to Create and Print Passport Size Photos in Adobe Photoshop

Overview

This tutorial demonstrates the complete workflow for creating, formatting, and preparing passport-size photographs for printing using Adobe Photoshop 2020 (and applicable to versions CC 2019 through 2021). The process begins with importing an original portrait and isolating the subject from the existing background using the Pen Tool. After completing a closed selection path around the subject and the canvas border, the user fills the background with a solid color—such as standard white or red—using background fill shortcuts like Ctrl+Backspace or Ctrl+Delete. Next, the video covers cropping and resizing the photo to international standard passport dimensions. The demonstrator highlights using a 3.5 cm by 4.5 cm aspect ratio (or 1.5 in by 2 in) in the Crop Tool, centering the subject's face, and explicitly configuring Image Size to 3.5 cm width and 4.5 cm height at 200 or 300 pixels per inch (ppi) for high-resolution output. The cropped passport image is then saved locally in JPEG format with maximum quality settings. Finally, the tutorial explains how to arrange multiple copies of the passport photo onto a standard 4x6 inch photographic paper preset. By holding Alt while dragging the image layer, duplicating layers, using Shift to multi-select rows, and applying Photoshop's automatic layer alignment tools, eight evenly spaced passport photos are laid out onto a single printable sheet ready for studio or home photo printing.

Opening the Image in Adobe Photoshop

00:06

In Adobe Photoshop 2020, 2021, and earlier Creative Cloud releases like 2019, the interface displays recent documents alongside options to create or open files. To begin preparing a passport picture, navigate to File > Open (or choose 'Open' from the start workspace) and select the original portrait photograph from your local drive. Once opened, evaluate the background to determine if it requires isolation and replacement with standard identification colors such as white or red.

• Photoshop CC versions (2019, 2020, 2021) share nearly identical menu structures and tool placements.
• Use File > Open to import the raw portrait directly into the workspace.

File > Open

Isolating and Replacing the Background Color with the Pen Tool

00:50

Passport photos typically require clean solid backgrounds, most commonly pure white or solid red. To cleanly cut out the subject, right-click the tool palette and select the Pen Tool (shortcut P). Zoom in by holding Alt and scrolling the mouse wheel up and down to navigate contours accurately. Draw anchor points closely around the shoulders, neck, and head of the subject. Once the subject boundary is traced, loop the path outward around the outer edges of the canvas to encompass the entire background area, then close the path by clicking the original starting anchor point. Right-click inside the path and choose 'Make Selection' (accepting the default 0-pixel feather radius). Next, set the background color swatch on the toolbar to pure white. Press Ctrl+Backspace or Ctrl+Delete to flood the selected background region with the active background swatch.

• The Pen Tool provides clean, accurate vector-based selections around body contours.
• Zooming with Alt + Scroll Wheel helps maintain precision around edges.
• Looping the pen path around the canvas outer boundary isolates the background instead of the subject.
• Ctrl+Backspace or Ctrl+Delete fills the active selection with the background swatch color.

Alt + Mouse Scroll (Zoom In / Zoom Out)
Pen Tool (P)
Right-Click > Make Selection
Ctrl + Backspace (Fill with Background Color)
Ctrl + Delete (Alternative Fill Shortcut)

Cropping and Setting Passport Photo Dimensions

03:16

Standard passport dimensions require specific proportional sizing. Select the Crop Tool and enter a fixed ratio of 3.5 cm width by 4.5 cm height (or 1.5 in by 2 in). Position the crop boundary so the subject's face is balanced and centered, then commit the crop using the checkmark icon or Enter. To lock in the exact physical print dimensions and print resolution, navigate to Image > Image Size. Confirm the measurement unit is set to Centimeters, enter a Width of 3.5 cm (the Height should automatically set to 4.5 cm), and specify a print resolution between 200 and 300 Pixels/Inch. Save this master passport portrait via File > Save As to your desktop as a high-quality JPEG with Maximum compression quality.

• Standard passport proportions are 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm (or 1.5 in x 2 in).
• Center the subject's facial features within the crop box before confirming.
• Set the physical dimensions explicitly in Image > Image Size at 200–300 ppi.
• Save a standalone master copy as JPEG with Maximum quality.

Crop Tool (C)
Image > Image Size
File > Save As

Creating a 4x6 Print Document and Duplicating Photos

04:55

To print multiple passport photos economically, create a new document via File > New. Under the 'Photo' preset tab, choose 'Landscape 4 x 6' (4 inches high by 6 inches wide at 300 ppi) and click Create. Import the prepared passport photo by either dragging the saved file directly from the desktop onto the new canvas or dragging the layer from the open project tab. Position the first photo in the upper-left corner. Hold Alt, then click and drag the layer downward to duplicate it. Hold Shift and click both layers in the Layers panel to select the pair, then hold Alt while dragging to duplicate the column across the canvas. Repeat this process until eight passport photos fill the sheet. Finally, select all photo layers and use Photoshop's top-bar alignment tools (such as Distribute Horizontally and Align Top Edges) to ensure professional, uniform spacing.

• Standard 4x6 inch photographic paper accommodates up to eight 3.5x4.5 cm passport pictures.
• Hold Alt while dragging a layer to quickly duplicate it.
• Use Shift+Click in the Layers panel to select multiple layers simultaneously.
• Use the top Options bar alignment tools to evenly space and align photo grids.

File > New > Photo > Landscape 4 x 6
Alt + Click & Drag (Duplicate Layer)
Shift + Click (Multi-select Layers)
Top Bar Alignment / Distribution Options