2x2 Picture Size in Pixels

A 2 × 2 inch picture is 600 × 600 pixels when it is printed at 300 DPI, the resolution photo labs and the US State Department work with. Upload a photo here and you get that square, with the head and eyes placed where an examiner measures them.

or drop JPG, JPEG, JFIF … files here ·

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How to use this tool

1
Choose a photo with room around the head
The crop needs space above your hair and below your chin to scale the head to 300–413 px inside the 600 px square.
2
Keep 300 DPI
The page uses the US 2 × 2 in spec with DPI at 300, so the export is exactly 600 × 600 px. Raise DPI to 600 if a lab asks for 1200 × 1200 px.
3
Download one square file
Print layout stays on Single photo. Press Make to save the JPG for an online form, or switch to a 4 × 6 sheet for prints.

2 by 2 inches in pixels at 150, 300 and 600 DPI

Size	Pixels	cm	in	DPI	Fits
2×2 in	300 × 300	5.08 × 5.08	2 × 2	150	Too soft for official prints
2×2 in	600 × 600	5.08 × 5.08	2 × 2	300	Minimum for US online forms and labs
2×2 in	1200 × 1200	5.08 × 5.08	2 × 2	600	Maximum the DS-160 accepts
Head	300–413	2.5–3.5	1–1.375	300	Chin to top of hair in a 600 px square

Pixel size and print size are linked by a single number. Divide the pixels by the DPI and you get inches: 600 ÷ 300 = 2. That is why the same picture can be called 600 × 600 px, 2 × 2 in or 51 × 51 mm, and why a file can have the right pixels but still print wrong if its DPI tag says something else.

For a digital submission, the pixels are what the form checks. The US Department of State asks for a square JPEG of at least 600 × 600 px for online applications, and the same numbers apply to the DV Lottery. If you only need the square without face placement, for example a profile photo, resize image to 600x600 is quicker. For prints, the 2x2 photo page lays six copies on one 4 × 6 in sheet.

Where the head and eyes sit in a 600 px square

Head height, minimum300 px
Head height, maximum413 px
Eye line from bottom, lowest338 px
Eye line from bottom, highest413 px

One rule pixels cannot fix

2x2 picture pixel questions

How many pixels is a 2x2 picture at 72 DPI?

144 × 144 px, because 2 inches × 72 pixels per inch is 144. That is far too small for any official use; screens and old web graphics used 72 DPI, while photo printing and passport forms assume 300.

Is 1200 × 1200 px still a 2x2 picture?

Yes. Pixels only become inches once you pick a resolution, and 1200 px at 600 DPI prints at exactly 2 inches. The US online visa form accepts any square from 600 × 600 up to 1200 × 1200 px.

Why does my 600 × 600 px photo print at the wrong size?

The print app reads the DPI value stored in the file. If it says 72, 600 px becomes an 8.3 inch print, and many apps then scale it to fit the page. Export from this page with DPI at 300 so the file itself says 2 inches.

What is the 2x2 picture size in cm and mm?

5.08 × 5.08 cm, or 51 × 51 mm when rounded. Many countries outside the US use 35 × 45 mm instead, so a 2 × 2 file does not fit forms that ask for that size.

How large can a 2x2 picture file be in KB?

The US DS-160 visa form and the DV Lottery entry cap the file at 240 KB. A 600 × 600 px JPG at normal quality is typically well under that; if it is not, use the DV Lottery photo tool, which applies the limit for you.