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Crop a photo to 35 × 45 mm — Germany ID card (Personalausweis)

Upload a photo — the frame is already set for a Germany ID card (Personalausweis). Ready to print or upload.

Document

No sign-up · no watermarks · your photo stays in your browser

Want studio precision?AI correction fixes the light, shadows, clothing and pose — to the document's rules.€5.99
Example · selfie → document photo
01Requirements

Exact numbers for this document

ParameterWhat it must be
Print size35 × 45 mm
Pixels at 300 dpi413 × 531 px
Pixels at 600 dpi827 × 1063 px
Aspect ratio7:9
Head, share of height71–80% of photo height
Head, chin to crown32–36 mm chin to crown
BackgroundPlain light background.
GlassesEyes fully visible, no reflections.
Head coveringReligious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval.
Format35 × 45 mm
Head71–80 %
02Three steps

How to crop it, in three steps

  1. 01

    Upload a photo taken face-on, in even light

  2. 02

    The tool finds the face and aligns the frame itself — check that the head lands in 71–80%

  3. 03

    Save the 35 × 45 mm result — print it or attach it to the application

03What we fix

What we fix for free, and what AI fixes

Fixed for free

  • Background. Replaced with the one this document asks for: plain light background.
  • Head tilt. Straightened if the head leans slightly to one side.
  • Frame. Exactly 35 × 45 mm, by the document’s rules.
  • A light shadow on one side of the face. Gently brightened.
  • File and print sheet. A file to the document’s rules and a 10 × 15 or A4 sheet to print.

What can't be fixed for free, AI correction fixes

  • Hard shadows and uneven light on the face.
  • A smile, raised brows or a half-open mouth. Cropping keeps the face it was given.
  • Too few pixels. If the original is smaller than 413 × 531 px, enlarging it only blurs the face.
  • Clothing and pose. Shoulders out of frame, body turned away from the camera.
Make it with AI €5.99 · you see the result before paying

Glare on the lenses. Take the glasses off or turn away from the light source and shoot again.

04Rejections

Why these photos get rejected — and how to fix each one

ReasonFix
Photo from non-certified studio (post-May 2025)Use certified Fotostudio with eAT-Bestätigung
White background rejected (light grey required)Re-shoot against light grey backdrop
Raised eyebrows or non-neutral expressionRe-shoot completely neutral
Glasses wornRe-shoot without glasses
Head outside 32-36mm chin-to-crownRe-shoot at correct distance
05Good to know

Germany-specific things to know

  • Light grey background — pure white not accepted (BMI strict)
  • May 1, 2025: digital QR-code photo from certified studio required
  • Bürgeramt self-service terminals available as alternative
  • Biometric chip card — valid as EU travel document
  • Same spec as German passport
06Printing

Printing on a single sheet

4 × 2 frames fit on one 10×15 cm sheet — 8 copies from a single print.

Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.

10 × 15 cm · 4 × 6″Photos: 8 (4 × 2)

A4 · 21 × 29.7 cmPhotos: 36 (6 × 6)

07Source

Where these numbers come from

Source: Federal Foreign Office of Germany. Last checked against the official page on 17 May 2026.

What the source confirms

  • The German Missions passport/ID section links the application process to biometric photo examples and a passport-photo template.
  • The passport application page requires recent biometric photos and explicitly links to official examples of compliant biometric passport photos.
  • The official German biometric sample sheet defines the working photo size as 35 × 45 mm with head height 32-36 mm.
  • German passport and ID applications are handled in person by appointment at a German mission or eligible honorary consul.

German Foreign Office biometric photo samples ↗

08Questions

Questions people ask before cropping

What size must an ID card (Personalausweis) photo be in Germany?

35 × 45 mm. 71–80% of photo height.

How many pixels is 35 × 45 mm when printed?

413 × 531 px (300 dpi) · 827 × 1063 px (600 dpi).

How much of the frame should the head take?

71–80% of photo height. 32–36 mm chin to crown.

What background does this document need?

Plain light background.

What can’t be fixed here for free?

Hard shadows and uneven light on the face. A smile, raised brows or a half-open mouth. Cropping keeps the face it was given. Clothing and pose. Shoulders out of frame, body turned away from the camera. AI fixes this from the same photo — you see the result before paying.

How many photos fit on one 10×15 cm sheet?

4 × 2 frames fit on one 10×15 cm sheet — 8 copies from a single print.