Guides, page 2
How to cut out a picture in the app you already use, what a transparent PNG really is, and which background each place wants. Every method is tested, and every tool is named with whether it uploads your photo.
DS-160 photo requirements: 600 to 1200 pixels, under 240 KB, and why an upload fails
DS-160 photo requirements checked September 2026: a square JPEG, 600 to 1200 px, 240 KB or less, and the sums that explain why an upload gets refused.
21 Oct 2026
PNG-8 vs PNG-24: what the numbers mean for a soft edge
PNG-8 stores a table of up to 256 colours, PNG-24 a full colour per pixel. What each does to a soft transparent edge, and when the small one is right.
20 Oct 2026
French passport photo requirements: 35 x 45 mm, a 32 to 36 mm head without hair and a light wall that is not white
French passport photo rules checked September 2026: 35 x 45 mm, head 32 to 36 mm without hair, a plain light background that is not white, thin frames only.
19 Oct 2026
Australian passport photo requirements: 35 x 45 mm, a 32 to 36 mm head and a white or light grey wall
Australian passport photo rules checked September 2026: 35 x 45 mm, head 32 to 36 mm, a plain white or light grey background, glasses only if medical.
18 Oct 2026
How to remove the background from a signature and keep the ink soft
How to remove the background from a signature: sign on plain paper, photograph it flat, cut it out, and keep the pen strokes soft, not jagged.
17 Oct 2026
Irish passport photo requirements: 35 x 45 mm, a 715 x 951 pixel file and a plain light wall
Irish passport photo rules checked September 2026: 35 x 45 mm, a 715 x 951 pixel digital photo, a plain light grey, white or cream background, and glasses.
16 Oct 2026
OCI photo requirements: a 51 x 51 mm square on a light background that is not white
OCI photo rules checked September 2026: 51 x 51 mm, head 25.4 to 35 mm, plain light background that is not white, 600 x 600 pixels and up to 200 KB.
15 Oct 2026
How to change the background of a photo and keep it believable
How to change the background of a photo: pick the new colour or scene, match the light, and fix the three things that give a replacement away.
14 Oct 2026
How to overlay images so the top one looks placed, not pasted
How to overlay one image on another: cut the subject out cleanly, fix the edge, match the light, add a contact shadow and set the scale.
13 Oct 2026
Schengen visa photo requirements: 35 x 45 mm, head 32 to 36 mm
Schengen visa photo rules checked September 2026: 35 x 45 mm, head 32 to 36 mm, a plain light background, and why each consulate has the last word.
12 Oct 2026
Product photography setup: what to buy first, and what to skip
A product photography setup that starts with a window, white card and a phone, then adds cheap upgrades in the order they actually improve the photo.
11 Oct 2026
Waterslide decals from a photo: why the cutout matters most
Waterslide decals from a photo: clear or white paper, why a cutout matters most, sealing the print, and a mug test before you use the good piece.
10 Oct 2026Reading about it is slower than trying it
Drop a photo and get a transparent PNG at full resolution. Free, no account, nothing uploaded.