How To Take Passport Photo With iPhone: Easy Steps To Follow
April 08, 2025
This post shows you how to take a passport photo with your iPhone, helping you save time and money. Learn to easily capture and edit a professional-quality photo right at home!
Do you think you need to go to a special facility and pay money for your passport photo? Stay at home and take a passport photo using your iPhone right away! With your iPhone, you have the freedom to take as many tries as you need to capture that perfect pose and expression, unlike the limited opportunities you might get elsewhere!
From start to finish, we'll guide you through the entire process and ensure you end up with a great result—your best passport photo yet. Keep reading to discover just how easy and efficient this DIY method can be!
To Begin with, Let's Look at the Requirements
Ready to snap your passport photo with your iPhone? Here’s what you need to know to make sure it gets the green light. For those applying for a U.S. passport, your photo should:
Fit the Size: Keep it standard at 2x2 inches (51x51 mm).
Proper Head Size: Make sure your head fills up 1 to 1.4 inches (25 to 35 mm) of that space.
Face Forward: Look directly at the camera with a natural, neutral expression.
Simple Background: Choose a plain, light-colored backdrop. White is perfect.
Dress Normally: Wear what you’d usually wear day-to-day. Avoid uniforms or costumes.
Skip the Extras: Leave off glasses and any wireless headsets to keep things clear and simple.
Double-check the official passport website to ensure you're ticking all the boxes for your photo requirements. This way, you’re all set for a smooth submission!
How to Take Passport Photo: Step-by-Step Guide
1. Prepare Yourself
Before you snap that passport photo, make sure to remove any facial jewelry, hats, and glasses, following your country's specific guidelines. Religious headgear and medical devices are exceptions, but your full face must be visible.
For your appearance, go for a natural look. Moderate makeup is fine; just avoid anything too bold or dramatic. If you're concerned about wrinkles, you can minimize their appearance using the wrinkles remover tool in Luminar Neo during post-processing. This should help put your mind at ease!
Avoid styles that cover your face or eyes, like heavy bangs. Hair should look natural and not obscure any part of your face. Always double-check the passport photo requirements to confirm, and remember that different countries might have different rules.
2. Find the Right Spot
The best way to take a passport photo on an iPhone is to choose a spot that offers plenty of natural light. Near a window is ideal to avoid harsh shadows. Your background should be plain, in light colors like white or beige, ensuring it’s free from patterns or textures. Stand a few feet away from the wall to prevent any shadows. If needed, a translucent white curtain can help soften the light and provide a suitable background. Also, don't forget you always can add a white background to a photo if you don't have the perfect background for your passport photo at home.
Aim for a time of day when the light is even and natural—mid-morning or early afternoon is usually best. Avoid the golden hour, as the passport office requires a true representation of your natural skin tone without any colored hues or dramatic shadows.
If you find yourself needing to take photos in low light and must use a flash, you might notice red-eye. In this case, we recommend using a red-eye remover tool during editing to address this issue effectively!
How To Take A Passport Photo At Home?
Learn more3. Set Up Your iPhone
For the clearest photo, place your iPhone on a stable surface or use a tripod. This helps keep the camera steady and ensures your photo is sharp. Adjust your camera settings to the highest resolution and switch off all filters and effects. Use the rear camera for better image quality compared to the front-facing one.
If you're taking the photo yourself using a tripod, you might find it helpful to set up a small mirror behind your phone so you can see the screen and adjust your positioning as needed. Make sure your phone is set to portrait orientation to align with passport photo standards. Stick to using the standard camera app to avoid any unintended effects or filters that might complicate your photo.
4. Frame Your Pose
First, switch on the grid feature in your iPhone’s camera settings. This helps you align everything perfectly. Stand or sit so that your head is centered at the top grid line and your shoulders fit comfortably at the bottom. Leave a bit of room around your head to make any necessary tweaks later easier.
Make sure the camera is at eye level and directly facing you—no angles. Snap a quick test photo to see how everything looks. If you’re using natural light, you might need to shuffle around a bit to dodge any awkward shadows.
5. Take the Picture
All set to take your passport size photo on your iPhone? Time to take the photo! Keep your face neutral—no smiling—and eyes open, looking straight at the camera.
Pop your iPhone on self-timer mode, so you have a moment to get ready after hitting the shutter button. If your iPhone has a burst mode, turn it on. It’ll take a bunch of photos in quick succession, giving you a variety to pick from.
If a friend’s helping you out, have them take several photos in one go. It’s better to have too many options than just one where you might not look your best. Don’t stress about getting everything pixel-perfect on the first try; you can always straighten or crop the photos afterward!
6. Edit the Picture
Once you've captured your photo, the next step is to refine it. This photo will be part of your passport for years, so careful editing is essential!
Start by choosing the best image from your collection. Crop this photo using your iPhone's editing features to comply with your country's passport photo size requirements. Alternatively, consider using Luminar Neo, a professional AI editor that allows you to perform all your edits in one place, utilizing powerful AI tools for precision!
After cropping, focus on fine-tuning the brightness, contrast, and shadows. These adjustments are crucial to ensure your face is evenly illuminated and free from unwanted shadows or glare.
Preparing to Take a Passport Photo: Cheatsheet
Taking a good passport or ID photo with your iPhone involves some careful attention to detail. We summarized everything you need into a straightforward list of dos and don'ts that can help you get a picture that not only looks great but also meets all the necessary requirements.
Dos | Don'ts |
Keep your face neutral with your eyes open and mouth closed. A slight, gentle smile is acceptable. Ensure your hair doesn’t obscure your face; bangs are acceptable if they're part of your everyday look. Remove glasses unless needed for medical reasons, in which case you should avoid tinted lenses or thick frames. You can wear jewelry, including facial piercings, as long as it does not cover your face. | Avoid white or off-white as they can blend into the background; opt for colors like dark or light blue. Wear light, natural makeup. Avoid heavy makeup that changes your usual appearance. No hats or headbands unless for medical or religious reasons, and your face and hairline must be visible. |
Now, you know how to take an ID picture with an iPhone and make it not only flattering but also compliant with official standards!
Wrapping It Up
On this note, we conclude our guide and hope that you will capture perfect passport photos with your new skills! By following these steps, you've not only saved yourself a trip and some money but also gained the ability to produce professional-looking passport photos right from your home.
May your DIY passport photo bring a little extra pride when you glance at your passport on future travels. Here's to snapping a great shot that will accompany you around the globe!
