How to Take a Passport Photo With iPhone [Steps & Expert Tips]

So, you’d like to take a passport photo with your iPhone, but you’re unsure how to get the best results? Or if passport agents will accept your DIY picture?

Say no more.

In this detailed, step-by-step guide, I’ll show you how to quickly and reliably take your own passport photo on an iPhone.

Related reading:

• 8 Paid & Free Passport Photo Apps to Take Your Own Photos
• How to Take a Passport Photo With an Android Phone
• How To Make a Passport Size Photo From Mobile—Guide
• Printing Passport Photos on 4×6 Inch Paper

Pressed for time?

Instead of going over the steps, download our passport photo app for iPhone and take a perfect ID photo in as little as three minutes.

How to Take a Passport Photo With an iPhone [6 Steps]

Taking a passport photo with an iPhone is easy. In fact, it takes six steps to go from a selfie-like picture to a compliant US passport photo. Here are the steps:

1. Study official passport photo requirements.
2. Adjust your iPhone’s camera settings.
3. Find the right spot.
4. Prepare yourself for the photoshoot.
5. Take a photo.
6. Edit the photo.

Let me now walk you through each step.

1. Study official passport photo requirements

Taking passport-quality photos at home is almost as easy as snapping selfies. Still, you need to know what you’re doing. Here’s a list of the essential US passport photo requirements your iPhone passport photo must meet:

Are bangs allowed in passport photos? Can you wear a white shirt? To find answers to these (and more) questions, read our articles on passport photo hair rules and what to wear for a passport photo.

Otherwise, here’s a sample of what a good and bad passport photo should look like. Should you need more examples of passport photos, check this visual guide.

2. Adjust your iPhone’s camera settings

Now, let’s adjust your iPhone camera settings for passport photos:

• Go to “Settings” and scroll down to “Camera.”
• Tap on “Formats.”
• Select “High Efficiency.”
• In “Photo Capture,” click “Photo Mode” and select the highest resolution available. Remember that the resolution is for the rear camera.

With your settings adjusted, you should be able to secure a passport photo of high quality and resolution. Now, let’s check your composition settings:

Go back to Settings→Camera and look for the “Composition” section. Then:

• Activate “Grid” and “Level” (the slider must turn green). These two will help you when taking a passport photo with the iPhone’s camera app.
• Deactivate the “Mirror Front Camera” option. You don’t want your face mirrored if you take a picture using the selfie camera.

Do you have an iPhone 15? I reached out to a professional Syndey-based photographer, Dominic Bleijie, for a tip on making the best out of the new features:

Apple’s iPhone 15 has an improved in-camera sensor, which can help you take high-quality headshots, good enough for passport photos. To enhance the photograph’s depth, set your iPhone’s aperture to f/4.0 and focus on the subject’s face. By doing this, it’ll have less shallow depth of field and thus look sharp with the face in focus.

3. Find the right spot

What’s the best setting for passport photos? Go for a well-lit room with a window to stand in front of. I suggest you take a few mock pictures at different angles to find the right spot.

All in all, there’s no solid rule. You’re good to go as long as your face is lit evenly and there are no shadows.

Pro tip: If you can access professional lights (e.g., softbox lamps), place them to your left and right at a ~30-degree angle to ensure even lighting.

4. Prepare yourself for the photoshoot

Your iPhone and a home-made studio are all set up—now it’s time for you to get ready for the photoshoot. While the official requirements can be overwhelming, you should focus on one goal: Avoid an ugly passport photo by keeping things simple. 

Here’s how to achieve this:

• Wear darker-colored clothes without patterns. Avoid thin-strapped tops (too revealing) and turtlenecks (unflattering).
• Keep makeup to a minimum. High-coverage products, contouring, shimmers, and glosses may likely turn unacceptable. Less is more.
• Remove prescription glasses and head coverings (unless you wear them for religious reasons), including hair accessories. If you have long bangs, use a tiny bobby pin to take them off your forehead. 
• Opt for dainty jewelry like a thin necklace or stud earrings. Sparkly pieces tend to reflect light (we love them for the bling, right?) and won’t be accepted in passport photos.
• Tuck your hair behind the ears or tie it. Passport photo hair rules are lenient, so you’ll be fine as long as your face contour and eyebrows are visible.

Pro tip: White clothes aren’t acceptable for passport pictures because they’ll blend with the background. However, if you really want a white shirt or a blouse, throw on a dark jacket for contrast.

5. Take a photo

Lights, camera, action! 

If you like visual guides, watch our short tutorial on how to take a passport-size photo with an iPhone. Here’s a recap of the steps:

• Place your device on a flat surface like a table or window sill. If possible, ask someone to photograph you.
• Stand or sit approximately 20 inches (50 cm) from your iPhone.
• Straighten your shoulders and look directly at the camera lens. Pro tip: Look at the upper horizontal grid on the screen. Depending on how you place your phone, your eyes should be either level with the line or a bit above it.
• Fit your head between the two vertical gridlines. By doing so, your face will be perfectly centered.
• Keep a neutral facial expression, or gently lift the corners of your lips. Your eyes must be fully open.
• Take several photos and select the one you like the most. Pro tip: Set up the camera timer for 10 seconds (when taking iPhone passport photos yourself). It’ll give you enough time to pose!

Take as many photos as you like. After all, there’s no photographer rolling their eyes or charging you extra for another photo. Once you get a photo you like, move on to the last step of making passport photos with an iPhone.

6. Edit the photo

Last but not least, it’s time for editing. To complete the process of turning an iPhone picture into a DIY passport photo, you must:

• Erase the background
• Resize and crop the image

Naturally, you can do it with free software like our free background remover or photo cropper. But unless you’re skilled at editing pictures, you have no guarantee the photo composition is correct or that there’s enough white space…let alone checking if you ticked off all the other requirements.

Here’s where PhotoAiD® steps in.

Our comprehensive service for compliant ID photos makes editing pictures quick and easy. You upload a self-portrait, and we take care of the rest.

Okay, but how can an app ensure an image taken at home meets the criteria? The answer is simple—

What separates us from other iPhone passport photo apps is human expert verification. Our photographers check uploaded images against the tiniest official requirements. Try our passport photo app for iPhone (or click the button below) and see for yourself.

See what our Trustpilot reviews say about the app:

“Quick and easy! Able to take and print passport photos in the comfort of my home. This is the 3rd time using (for various family members) and it works perfectly each time.” — Tyra Ivy (US)

“It was quick and easy to get the appropriate photo for my passport. I used the renew online option, which immediately accepted the photo. I finished the online passport renewal process in 10 minutes!” — SteveHibshman (US)

Avoid Common Passport Photo Mistakes: Expert Advice from 10,000+ Photos Analyzed

PhotoAiD has been on the market for over a decade, and our experts have verified millions of ID pictures. Earlier this year, we decided to examine the photos we’d processed to find the most common rejection reasons for ID photos.

10,000+ examined photos later, here are our tips on how to take a good passport photo with an iPhone:

1. Mind your position

Don’t take close-up photos; the upper part of your torso must be visible in the frame. Face the camera (no semi-profile orientation), and don’t tilt your head—the camera can’t be lower or higher than your eyes.

2. Choose good lighting conditions

Your face must be properly and evenly lit. To avoid shadows in a passport photo, ensure the light source is directly in front of you. The photo mustn’t be under or overexposed. Ideally, take a photo in daylight.

3. Keep a proper facial expression

Relax and keep a neutral facial expression. Wide or toothy smiles aren’t acceptable, so keep your mouth closed. Also, don’t squint—your eyes must be in full view and leveled with the camera lens.

4. Secure high quality

Stand still when taking a passport photo with your iPhone to avoid blur. Set the phone’s camera to the highest resolution and manage the light source so the picture isn’t grainy.

5. Mind your appearance 

Take off prescription glasses unless you can provide a doctor’s note saying you need them for medical reasons. If you must keep them on, ensure no glare or reflections in the lenses. Additionally, pay attention to your hairstyle—there must be no hair covering your eyes, eyebrows, or face contour.

I highly recommend checking out the study linked above for more examples of common mistakes.

iPhone Passport Photo: Wrap-Up

Taking a DIY passport photo on your iPhone is possible and easy. As long as you remember the US Department of State’s requirements, you can secure a compliant picture from home.

Here are some highlights on how to take a passport photo at home with an iPhone:

• iPhone models from 2016 or newer (iPhone 7 up) have cameras that are good enough to take ID pictures.
• While it’s best to ask someone to photograph you, using the front camera is fine.
• Selfies aren’t acceptable. Passport photos must meet specific requirements.
• You can edit iPhone passport photos using free tools, but there’s no acceptance guarantee.

And if you’re looking for the best way to take passport photos on an iPhone, use PhotoAiD®. Within minutes, you’ll secure a 100% compliant ID photo, or we’ll refund 200% of your purchase costs.

FAQ

Sources:

1. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2016/09/apple-introduces-iphone-7-iphone-7-plus/ 
2. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html 
3. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/online-renewal-photo.html 

Sylwia Green

Sylwia is a skilled writer with a BA in English Studies and an active SPJ member. For nearly three years now, she’s been writing captivating articles for international companies, turning her lifelong passion into a career.