How to Print Passport Photos on an HP Printer

Exact settings for HP DeskJet, ENVY, OfficeJet, and Smart Tank printers: paper type, quality mode, and the one scaling setting that keeps your photo at a true 2×2 inches. Works from Windows, Mac, or the HP Smart app on your phone.

Works with any color HP printerFree 4×6 layout at 300 DPIUS State Department compliant~$0.05 per photo

Step 1 is making a compliant photo — upload yours and get a print-ready 4×6 sheet in seconds

The Short Answer

To print a passport size photo on an HP printer: load 4×6 glossy photo paper, print your 4×6 passport layout at Actual Size (100% — never “Fit to Page”), paper type HP Advanced Photo Paper, quality Best, borderless OFF. Then cut each photo to exactly 2×2 inches along the guide lines.

Setting	Correct value	Where to find it
Paper size	4×6 in (10×15 cm)	Print dialog → Paper Size
Paper type	HP Advanced Photo Paper / Glossy	Printer Properties → Paper/Quality
Print quality	Best (or Max DPI)	Printer Properties → Quality
Scaling	Actual Size — 100%	Print dialog → Scale / Fit
Borderless	OFF	Printer Properties → Layout
Color options	Standard color — no enhancement	Printer Properties → Color

Step-by-Step: Passport Photos on an HP Printer

From photo file to cut 2×2 prints in about 5 minutes.

1
Create your 4×6 passport photo layout
Upload a photo to our tool. It crops to exact 2×2 inches, fixes the background to plain white, verifies head size against US State Department rules, and gives you a 4×6 sheet with four photos and cut lines at 300 DPI.
2
Load 4×6 photo paper into your HP printer
Place 4×6 glossy photo paper in the photo tray (or main tray with the guides snugged to the paper), glossy side facing the correct direction for your model — most HP DeskJet/ENVY trays print on the side facing down.
3
Open the file and choose print settings
Open the 4×6 layout in HP Smart, Windows Photos, or macOS Preview and click Print. Select your HP printer.
4
Set paper size, type, and quality
Paper size: 4×6 in (10×15 cm). Paper type: HP Advanced Photo Paper / Photo Paper Glossy. Quality: Best (or Max DPI). Color: full color.
5
Set scaling to Actual Size — not Fit or Fill
Choose Actual Size / 100% scaling and turn OFF borderless. 'Fit to page,' 'Fill,' or borderless mode rescale the sheet and your photos will no longer measure 2×2 inches.
6
Print, dry, and cut
Print the sheet, let the ink dry for a minute, then cut along the printed guide lines with a ruler and craft knife. Verify each photo measures exactly 2×2 inches.

The #1 mistake: Fit to Page

HP drivers default many photo prints to “Fill” or “Fit to Page.” Either one rescales the sheet, so your photos print at 1.9″ or 2.1″ instead of 2×2 — the most common reason home-printed passport photos get rejected. Always select Actual Size (100%).

Make Your Print-Ready Passport Photo First

Upload a photo — we crop to exact 2×2, fix the background to white, and give you a 4×6 sheet with cut lines, ready for your HP printer.

Start Creating Your Photo

Free to try • Pay only for HD download

Settings by App: HP Smart, Windows, Mac, iPhone

HP Smart app (phone or desktop)

1Open the 4×6 layout file → tap Print
2Printer: select your HP model
3Paper Size: 4×6 in · Paper Type: Photo Paper
4Quality: Best · turn OFF 'Fit to page'
5Print from the photo tray

Windows (Photos app)

1Right-click the file → Print
2Paper size: 4×6 · Quality: Best · Paper type: Glossy
3Uncheck 'Fit picture to frame'
4Click 'More settings' to disable borderless
5Print one test sheet first

macOS (Preview)

1Open file in Preview → File → Print
2Paper Size: 4×6 in (borderless OFF)
3Scale: 100% — do not 'Scale to Fit'
4Media & Quality: Photo Paper · Best
5Print

iPhone AirPrint

1Open the layout in Photos → Share → Print
2Select your HP printer
3Paper Size: 4×6 (auto-detected from tray)
4Turn off 'Scale to fit' if shown
5Print

Notes by HP Printer Series

All color HP printers can produce a compliant passport photo. A few model-specific quirks:

Series	4×6 photo tray	What to watch for
DeskJet 2700 / 4100	Main tray only	Slide guides tight against 4×6 paper; glossy side down
ENVY 6000 / 6400	Main tray	Disable 'HP Real Life' auto-enhancement in driver settings
ENVY Photo 7855	Dedicated photo tray	Load 4×6 in the small front photo tray, glossy side down
OfficeJet Pro 8025 / 9015	Main tray	Set paper type manually — it defaults to Plain
Smart Tank 5000 / 6001	Main tray	Excellent ink cost — about 1¢ per 4×6 sheet
LaserJet color models	Multipurpose tray	Use laser-compatible photo paper only (inkjet paper melts)

Turn off HP auto-enhancement

Some HP drivers apply “HP Real Life Technologies” photo correction by default. It shifts the white background toward gray or blue — a rejection risk. Disable it under Printer Properties → Color → uncheck photo enhancement.

Troubleshooting HP Passport Photo Prints

Photos print larger or smaller than 2×2 inches

Scaling is on. Set print size to Actual Size / 100% and turn off borderless. Measure the printed photo with a ruler — it must be exactly 2 inches on each side.

White background prints gray, blue, or yellow

Either auto-enhancement is on (disable HP Real Life / color correction), the paper type is set to Plain (set it to Glossy Photo), or ink is low (check levels in HP Smart).

Horizontal lines or streaks across the photo

Clogged printhead. Run 'Clean Printhead' from HP Smart → Printer Settings → Tools, then reprint. Streaky photos are an automatic rejection.

Printer says paper mismatch or won't take 4×6

The tray guides aren't snug, or the driver paper size doesn't match the loaded paper. Re-seat the 4×6 stack, slide the guides against it, and confirm 4×6 is selected in the print dialog.

Photo looks pixelated or blurry when printed

The source file resolution is too low. A 4×6 sheet needs 1200×1800 pixels minimum (300 DPI). Our tool exports at exactly 300 DPI so this never happens.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I print a passport size photo on my HP printer?

Load 4×6 glossy photo paper in the photo tray, open the photo in HP Smart (or Windows Photos / macOS Preview), set paper size to 4×6 in, paper type to HP Advanced Photo Paper, quality to Best, and scaling to Actual Size (100%). Print, then cut each photo to exactly 2×2 inches. Our tool generates the 4×6 layout with cut lines automatically.

Which HP printers can print passport photos?

Any color HP inkjet works: DeskJet (2700, 3755, 4100 series), ENVY (6000, 6400, Photo 7855), OfficeJet (Pro 8025, 9015), and Smart Tank models. HP LaserJet color printers also work, but inkjet on glossy photo paper gives more accurate skin tones and a cleaner white background.

What paper should I use for passport photos on an HP printer?

Use 4×6 inch glossy or semi-gloss photo paper — HP Advanced Photo Paper (glossy) is the safest choice because the printer driver recognizes it and applies correct color profiles. Never use plain copy paper; the US State Department requires photo-quality paper for printed passport photos.

Why does my HP printer cut off part of my passport photo?

That's borderless printing over-scaling the image. In print settings, turn OFF 'Borderless' and set scaling to Actual Size (100%) instead of 'Fill' or 'Fit to Page.' A 4×6 layout printed at 100% keeps each photo at exactly 2×2 inches.

How do I print a passport photo from my phone with an HP printer?

Install the HP Smart app (iOS/Android), open your 4×6 passport photo layout, tap Print, choose your HP printer, set paper size 4×6, paper type Photo Paper, and disable 'Fit to page.' AirPrint on iPhone also works — tap Share → Print and check the paper size is 4×6, not Letter.

What quality setting should I use on an HP printer for passport photos?

Always 'Best' quality (in some HP drivers: 'Max DPI'). Draft and Normal modes produce visible banding and washed-out backgrounds that can get a passport photo rejected. Best quality on glossy paper takes about 60–90 seconds per 4×6 sheet.

Can I print a passport photo on an HP printer without photo paper?

Technically the printer will print on plain paper, but the photo will be rejected — US passport rules require the photo to be printed on matte or glossy photo-quality paper. A 25-pack of 4×6 HP photo paper costs about $5–$8 and yields 100 passport photos.

How much does it cost to print passport photos at home on an HP printer?

Roughly $0.10–$0.20 per 4×6 sheet (ink plus paper), which yields four 2×2 passport photos — about 5 cents per photo, versus $15–$18 for two photos at a pharmacy photo counter.

Updated July 2026 · Settings verified against HP Smart app and current HP DeskJet, ENVY, OfficeJet, and Smart Tank drivers.

The Short Answer

Step-by-Step: Passport Photos on an HP Printer

Create your 4×6 passport photo layout

Load 4×6 photo paper into your HP printer

Open the file and choose print settings

Set paper size, type, and quality

Set scaling to Actual Size — not Fit or Fill

Print, dry, and cut