Tool · Private, runs in your browser
Will my photo be cut off? Crop and print-size checker.
The most common complaint about free prints is heads and feet missing. It is not the lab; it is the shape. Pick a photo and see exactly what each UK print size keeps, and whether it has enough pixels to look sharp.
No crop at all on 5.3x4" (best fit) and 8x6". On a 6x4" you lose 5.6% from the top and bottom.
The bright area is what ends up on the paper. Shaded strips are cut off. Labs let you slide the crop window; they do not let you keep the strips.
Why prints crop
A photo and a print each have a shape (aspect ratio). Phone cameras shoot 4:3. A 6x4" print is 3:2, which is wider. To fill a 3:2 sheet with a 4:3 picture, a strip has to go from the top and another from the bottom — about 5.6% each, 11% in total. That is why heads and feet go missing. Portrait photos lose it from the sides instead. Every lab does this, and the free apps are no worse than the paid ones; they just print more of your photos, so you notice.
Three ways to avoid it
- Pick a matching size. 8x6" is 4:3, so a phone photo fills it exactly. Snapfish’s 5.3x4" “best fit” is 4:3 too and is included in the free 50.
- Slide the crop window. Every app lets you move it before ordering. Ten seconds per photo saves a chopped head.
- Shoot in 3:2 or 16:9 on purpose if you know it is going to be a 6x4 or a widescreen frame. Most phone cameras have the setting.
How sharp is sharp enough
Photo labs print at up to 300 dots per inch. Divide your pixel width by the print width in inches: 4032 px ÷ 6" = 672 dpi, far more than a 6x4 can show. The checker does that sum for every size after the crop, and flags anything under 150 dpi, which is where softness becomes obvious in the hand. WhatsApp photos, screenshots and old Facebook downloads are the usual culprits.
Next step
Happy with the crop? Work out the cheapest way to print them with the free prints planner or the price comparison.
Questions
Why did my free prints cut off the edges?
Phone cameras shoot 4:3. A 6x4" print is 3:2, a wider shape, so about 5.6% has to go from the top and 5.6% from the bottom (or the sides, on a portrait shot). The app shows a crop window you can slide, but nothing can keep all of a 4:3 photo on a 3:2 print without white bars.
Which print size fits a phone photo with no crop?
8x6" is exactly 4:3, and Snapfish’s 5.3x4" “best fit” size was designed for it and counts towards the free 50. Every other standard size trims something.
How many pixels do I need for a 6x4 print?
1800 × 1200 gives 300 dpi, which is as sharp as photo paper shows. 1200 × 800 (200 dpi) still looks good at arm’s length. Below 900 × 600 the print will look soft. Any phone made since about 2015 clears 300 dpi easily on a 6x4.
Can I print a WhatsApp photo?
Yes, but WhatsApp recompresses images to roughly 1600 pixels on the long side unless they are sent as a document. That is fine for a 6x4 (about 260 dpi) and marginal for an 8x6 or larger. Ask for the original as a file if you want it bigger.
Does this tool upload my photo?
No. The file is read by your browser to measure its pixels and draw the preview. Nothing is sent to us or anyone else, and it is discarded when you leave the page.