How to Prepare Photos for Printing Without Ruining Them
Check pixels, aspect ratio, color, compression, and lab requirements before converting or sending photos to print.
Printing a photo is mostly about having enough pixels for the chosen print size and not accidentally giving the printer a tiny social-media copy. Start with the original photo whenever you can.
You only need to convert the format if the print service asks you to. JPG is accepted almost everywhere. TIFF is sometimes requested for professional work, but turning a small JPG into TIFF does not create extra detail.
Pixels, print size and DPI in plain English
Pixels are the actual detail in the image. DPI is a printing instruction that describes how closely those pixels are placed on paper. Changing only the DPI number does not add detail; the pixel width and height are what decide how large the photo can print cleanly.
As a rough example, a 3,000-pixel-wide photo can make a 10-inch-wide print at 300 pixels per inch. Large wall prints are often viewed from farther away, so they can use a lower number. The print lab's own recommendation wins.
How to prepare the photo for the printer
Find the best original
Use the camera or phone original, not a copy saved from Instagram, Facebook or a messaging app.
Check the lab's requirements
Look for the accepted format, pixel dimensions, colour profile and maximum file size. If the lab accepts your original JPG, you may not need to convert it at all.
Make a copy in the requested format
Drag the original into How to Convert and choose JPG or TIFF only if required. Keep the original file beside it.
Check the crop and order one test
Match the crop to the print shape so nobody important is cut off. For an important large run, order one small or single test print first.
Common problems
The print is blurry
The source did not have enough real pixels for the chosen size.
Use a larger original or order a smaller print.
The print is darker than the screen
Screens emit light and are often set very bright.
Lower the screen brightness when checking and use the lab's proofing advice for important work.
Heads are cut off
The photo and paper use different shapes.
Preview the printer's crop and move it before ordering.
Frequently asked questions
Is TIFF always better for printing?
No. A good original JPG can print beautifully. Use TIFF when the lab or workflow asks for it, not just because the file is larger.
Does converting JPG to TIFF improve quality?
No. It stops another lossy save, but it cannot restore detail already removed from the JPG.
What DPI should I use?
Use the print service's guidance. Around 300 pixels per inch is a common target for close viewing, but it is not a universal rule.
Should I strip photo metadata?
Usually it does not affect the print. Keep a master with the original metadata even if the delivery copy removes it.
Extra: Colour profiles and very large prints
Most consumer print services expect sRGB, which is the normal colour space used by phones and the web. A specialist lab may give you a different profile or ask for Adobe RGB. Follow that lab's instructions instead of guessing.
Do not enlarge a small image just to make the pixel numbers look better. Modern upscaling can help in some cases, but it cannot recover the fine detail that was never in the small file.
