BG RemoverUpdated · By CodeurDivoire
In short
You can make a passport or ID photo at home: take a well-lit, front-facing photo against any wall, open it in BG Remover’s ID photo mode, pick the format — EU/Schengen 35×45 mm, US 2×2 in, China visa 33×48 mm or Canada 50×70 mm — and a white, light grey or light blue background. The app frames the face automatically; export one photo or a print sheet at 300 dpi and print it at home or at a photo counter.
Make an ID photo at home with an Android phone
- 1
Take the photo
Have someone take it from one to two metres away, at eye level, in soft daylight. Face the camera squarely with a neutral expression, eyes open, hair off the face, and no shadows on the face or behind you.
- 2
Open ID photo and choose the picture
From the BG Remover home screen, open ID photo and pick the photo. The background is removed automatically.
- 3
Choose the format
EU / Schengen (35×45 mm), US (2×2 in), China visa (33×48 mm) or Canada (50×70 mm).
- 4
Choose the background
White, light grey or light blue — or a custom colour if your authority specifies another one.
- 5
Check the framing
The app frames the largest detected face. Line the top of the head up with the upper guide and the chin with the lower one, and drag or pinch to adjust.
- 6
Export a single photo or a print sheet
Export one photo, or a sheet of copies with cut lines on 10×15 cm, 13×18 cm or A4 paper, as a 300 dpi JPG. Preview shows the result before you save it.
Supported formats
| Format | Size | Pixels at 300 dpi | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU / Schengen | 35 × 45 mm | 413 × 531 | EU passports and ID cards, Schengen visas, and the many other countries using 35×45 mm |
| US | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) | 602 × 602 | US passports and visas |
| China visa | 33 × 48 mm | 390 × 567 | Chinese visa applications |
| Canada | 50 × 70 mm | 591 × 827 | Canadian passports |
Rules that apply almost everywhere
Most authorities follow the same international guidelines for passport photos. Expect to need:
- A recent photo — usually taken within the last six months.
- A plain, light background with no pattern and no shadows.
- The face centred, looking straight at the camera, with a neutral expression and the mouth closed.
- Eyes open and clearly visible, with no hair across them and no reflection on glasses — several countries, the US among them, no longer accept glasses at all.
- No hat or head covering, except for religious or medical reasons.
Printing the sheet
The print sheet lays out as many copies as fit on the paper, with thin cut lines between them. A 10×15 cm sheet (the standard 4×6 in print) is the cheapest to print at a photo kiosk or lab.
- Print at 100 % or “actual size” — never “fit to page”, which changes the photo’s dimensions.
- Use photo paper, and cut along the lines rather than freehand.
- For an online application that asks for a digital photo, upload the single JPG, not the sheet.
Questions
Can I use a photo taken with my own phone for a passport?
Yes, in many countries: a print you make yourself is accepted as long as it meets the official specifications — and BG Remover gives you the exact format, a plain background and a 300 dpi print sheet.
Which background colour should I choose?
It depends on the country: the US asks for white or off-white, while France, for example, asks for light grey or light blue and refuses pure white. The three presets — white, light grey and light blue — cover those cases, and a custom colour covers the rest.
Is the ID photo mode free?
Building and previewing the photo is free. A short ad unlocks the export for a while, and Pro unlocks it for good.
Which file format is the ID photo exported in?
JPG at 300 dpi — the format photo labs and online forms expect.