BoogschutterWhat Size Is a Wallet Photo?
The most common wallet photo size is 2 inches by 3 inches. However, other wallet photo sizes used in the U.S. range from less than 2 inches x 3 inches to 2.5 by 3.5 inches.
This page covers the standard wallet photo size, other common sizes, the purpose for various wallet photo sizes, and how to choose the right size wallet photo for your needs. Plus, you’ll find information on digital vs printed wallet photos and printing DIY or by ordering them.
What Is a Wallet Photo?
A wallet photo is a small photograph, typically 2x3 but other sizes are available. The photo is either printed or stored and used in digital format. Wallet photos are designed to fit into the photo slot of a standard wallet, a purse, or a photo album plastic sheet.
Wallet photos are used for personal identification, for pictures of kids, other loved ones, pets, portraits, and other small subjects.
Wallet-size photographs are often printed on a sheet of 2 to 9 photos. These sheets of wallet photos are often used to exchange with others as gifts and mementos, such as school photos or candid pictures taken at a shared event such as a party, wedding or holiday gathering. Wallet-sized photos are also effective for marketing and promotional purposes, sometimes with text printed onto the picture such as a name and contact information.
Standard Size of a Wallet Photo
The most common wallet photo size is 2x3 inches – 2 inches high and 3 inches wide when the picture is designed to be displayed horizontally. If displayed vertically, the size is 3x2, 3 inches high, and 2 inches wide. This is an aspect ratio of 2:3 or 3:2 – the ratios are the same whichever way written and represent the dimensions of the width compared to the height.
A 2x3 inch photo is a versatile size that fits into most wallets where a driver’s license or credit card is usually placed on ID badges or cards. It’s a size that is easy to print in sheets of 4 pictures to 9 pictures depending on the total size of the photo paper.
2”x3” wallet photos are approximately 5.1 cm by 7.6 cm or 51x76 millimeters.
Wallet photos 2x3 are considered the standard size in the United States. Slightly different sizes are standard in other countries.
Other Wallet Photo Sizes
There are a few other wallet photo sizes to consider when choosing the right size wallet picture.
- Large wallet photos are 2.5x3.5 inches. This is a size that can be printed in sheets of 4, 8, 12 and 16.
- Square wallet-size photos are 2x2 inches. This photo size is used for passports in the United States. For personal use, 2x2 wallet photos can be printed in sheets of 2 to 20 photos.
- Mini wallet photos are either 1.5x2.5 inches or 1.75x2.5 inches. You can order these in sheets of 8 and 16.
- Credit card size and driver’s license size is typically 2.125x3.375 inches.
- Die-cut wallet prints are 2 5/16 x 3 5/16 inches. Sheets of these wallet photos are often perforated for easy separation and have rounded corners.
- Custom sizes are available from some printers.
Keep in mind that all dimensions can be reversed depending on the orientation of the picture. For example, a 3.5x2.5 photo has the same dimensions as a 2.5x3.5 photo.
Purposes and Uses of Wallet Photos
Wallet photos are used for many things. Here are common uses and purposes for wallet-sized pictures.
- Identification and official use: A wallet photo is the right size to fit on an ID card or badge for work, school, events, and other official uses. Depending on the size required, a wallet photo can be used on a passport or license.
- Mementos and keepsakes: Small photos of friends, children, other family members, and pets are ideal for carrying in a wallet or purse.
- Sharing and gifting: Wallet-size portraits of individuals and groups are nice tokens to give away and trade. School photos and pictures of babies and older children are commonly used as gifts to relatives and friends.
- Sports and activity photos: Like trading cards, wallet photos can be used for kids in sports uniforms, dance outfits, theater costumes, and dress for other activities.
- Filling an album: Photo albums are produced for large sheets that hold 9 or more wallet photos, medium sheets for 4-6 photos, and small sheets holding 1 or 2 photos.
Caution: Keep in mind that a wallet photo is too small to show a lot of detail. While any photo can be printed at 2x3 or similar small size, wallet size isn’t large enough to show detail in most photos of nature and landscapes, cityscapes, products, or large groups or event gatherings.
How to Choose the Right Wallet Photo Size
When choosing the best wallet photo size, the first thing to know is whether a specific size is required. For example, companies may require a 2x3 for ID badges. In the U.S., passport photos are 2x2. If the photo is for a business card, the right wallet photo size is about 2x3.5.
Secondly, know the size of the picture slots in your wallet, purse, or photo album. If you’re taking photos for your own use, measure the picture pockets you want to fill with your small photos. A good tip is to check your measurements with a piece of thin cardboard. For example, if you measure the opening to be 2x3, cut the cardboard to those dimensions to see if it fits into the opening. Often, a slightly smaller size is needed. Make sure the photo can be inserted without damaging the edges or having to trim them first.
If there are no specific size requirements, then you might need to choose the best size based on what your local photo print shop or online printers offer. Common options are 2x3, 2.5x3.5 or slightly smaller if die-cut, and smaller mini wallets of various sizes. Custom sizes are often available too at a higher cost.
Digital vs Printed Wallet Photos
If you don’t prefer printed photos, you have the option to carry your wallet photos in a digital wallet on your smartphone, computer, tablet, or other device.
The advantage of digital wallet pictures is convenience. You can store them on any device that you carry with you regularly. Many thousands will fit on your device, and you can scroll through them at any time. It’s a great way to pass the time as you wait for an appointment or ride public transportation. And photos in a digital wallet can be easily shared with others.
Digital photos can also be viewed in a slideshow on any device offering that feature. It’s a pleasurable way to remember family, friends, events, and experiences.
On the other hand, the advantage of printed wallet photos is that the pictures are real and tangible. There’s something beneficial about putting aside your digital devices to hold a genuine photo or photo album in your hand.
If the photo is for identification, then having a digital version is preferred since you can have it available at any time, and it won’t get damaged. And even if your device is lost, having a digital version on other devices means that it can be transferred to any device with a few clicks.
How to Print a Wallet-sized Photo
Your options are to print your photos at home on a home printer or order prints from a local or online store.
The advantages of printing at home are cost, convenience, and customization. You pay less for photo paper and ink if you print a large number of photos. However, for a few photos, it is more affordable to order prints.
Printing at home is convenient – no travel or ordering hassles. And a home printer may give you more choices for customizing the size and color of the prints.
Ordering prints online for local pickup or for shipping is convenient too. Most sites like Walmart, CVS or Walgreens, Nations Photo Lab, or Mail Pix have easy-to-use order forms that make it simple to upload, customize, and order wallet photos with a few clicks.
The quality of the prints might be better if ordered from a company that prints the photos for you. Most offer quality of at least 200 PPI or pixels per inch, also called dots per inch or DPI. The best quality for most printers is 300 PPI, which brings out finer detail, which is especially important in wallet photos that are viewed from less than 2 feet away.
Finally, online photo printers offer customization details that most printers don’t provide. For example, you can have sheets of photos perforated for easy separation, which saves the hassle of having to use scissors or a paper cutter. And the pictures can be printed at almost any dimensions you prefer. Text can be added to the photo for commercial use, school photos, or sports photos.
