How to use: UPSC photo size (20–300 KB)
- 1Get a recent photo with a plain white background, your face covering most of the frame.
- 2Add it here. The size starts at 420 × 540 pixels and 20–300 KB.
- 3Press "Make it fit". The photo is cropped from the centre into a passport shape.
- 4Check your face fills about three quarters of the picture, then download.
- 5Upload it in the photo section of the UPSC online application.
What UPSC looks for
- White background, nothing behind you.
- Face about three quarters of the photo, looking straight ahead, eyes open.
- No caps or dark glasses. Spectacles are fine without glare.
- JPG, between 20 and 300 KB, and between 350 and 1000 pixels on both sides.
A phone selfie at arm’s length usually makes the face too small and the background too busy. Ask someone to take the photo from about a metre away against a white wall, then let the tool crop it.
If your photo comes out too big
A photo straight from a modern phone is often 3–5 MB, far above 300 KB. The tool reduces both the pixels and the JPEG quality as needed while keeping the face sharp, so you do not need any other app first. The UPSC signature has the same 20–300 KB rule.
Frequently asked questions
Why 420 × 540 and not the minimum 350 × 350?
Any size from 350 to 1000 pixels on each side is accepted. 420 × 540 keeps the usual passport proportion with room to spare above the minimum, and still downloads as a small file.
Does the photo need my name and date on it?
Recent UPSC notices have asked for a recent photo with the candidate's name and the date it was taken printed on it, and that it be not older than about ten days. Check the notice you are applying under; if it asks for this, add the name and date before resizing.
Do I need the same photo for the exam later?
Keep copies. UPSC asks candidates to carry matching photos to the exam and interview, and an inconsistent photo can cause problems.