How to print several passport photos on one page

Several passport photos fit on one sheet with File > Automate > Picture Package in Paint by Zaweba. Choose a fixed size such as ID 35x45 mm and a page of A4, Letter or A3, and Paint builds a new document with the photo repeated across the page, ready to print and cut. You can also choose 2, 4, 6, 9 or 16 to a page, or other fixed sizes such as 6x4, 7x5 and wallet.

Printing your own ID photos saves a trip to a booth, but the photo still has to meet the rules of whoever is asking for it. Paint takes care of the layout; you take care of the picture.

Taking a suitable photo

Requirements vary by country and by document, so check the official guidance for the one you need. They usually ask for a plain light background, even lighting with no shadows on the face or behind the head, a neutral expression, eyes open and looking at the camera, and the head a set size within the frame. Take the photo with the camera at eye level, a few steps back, rather than a close selfie that distorts the face.

Preparing it in Paint

Open the photo. Crop it to the shape of the ID size, 35 by 45 for the common size, keeping the head centred with the space above and below that your guidance asks for. Use gentle adjustments only: fix the exposure and white balance so skin looks natural, but don't smooth or reshape the face. Official photos must show you as you are, and many authorities reject retouched images.

If the background has a mark or a shadow, the retouching tools can tidy it, but stay away from the outline of the hair and face. A small blemish on the wall is fine to remove; changing the shape of your head is not.

Laying out the page

With the photo ready, open File > Automate > Picture Package. Choose the page size, A4, Letter or A3, then pick ID 35x45 mm or another of the fixed sizes. Paint makes a new document with the copies laid out. Check it over, then print with File > Print, setting the print to actual size so nothing is scaled. Scaling a passport photo even slightly can push it outside the allowed size.

Printing and cutting

Use photo paper and your printer's photo quality setting. Matte or satin paper is usually acceptable and avoids glare. Let the print dry, then cut carefully with a ruler and a sharp blade rather than scissors for straight edges. Measure one photo against the required size before cutting the rest.

If your printer adds a white margin, that's fine; the package is laid out within the printable area. For a print shop, Save as PDF in the Print window writes the same page as a PDF you can take or send to them.

Common mistakes with ID photos

Printing at fit to page instead of actual size is the big one, since it changes the photo dimensions. Another is cropping the head too large or too small for the guidance. And don't use a filter or beauty effect.

Paint by Zaweba is free software and works offline, so a sheet of ID photos costs you only the paper and ink.