Put a photo on a blue background

Admission forms, exam registrations and some ID cards ask for a photo on a blue background, and the usual answer is to stand in front of a blue sheet and hope. This page takes a photo against any wall and puts a flat blue behind the person instead: no wrinkles, no gradient from a lamp, the same shade from edge to edge.

It opens with the portrait model, because these are nearly always head-and-shoulders photos, and with JPG output, because that is what upload forms accept.

This page changes the background and keeps your photo’s framing and size. Forms usually also want a particular size in pixels or centimetres and a file under a limit such as 50 KB. Do the background here first, then resize and compress: resizing first gives the model fewer pixels to find the hair in.

1. A blue shirt against a blue background. Choose a lighter or darker blue so the two do not merge, or wear something else for the photo.

Which blue do forms ask for?

Most say only light blue or plain blue, without a value. The form blue here is a pale, slightly grey-blue that reads as blue in print and on screen without tinting skin. If a form gives an exact colour, type its hex value into the picker.

Why blue rather than white?

Blue separates a white shirt or pale skin from the background, where white would let them merge. Some institutions ask for it for exactly that reason.

Can I make it dark blue?

Yes. Royal blue is one of the swatches, and the picker takes any shade. Dark backgrounds show stray hair more, so check the edge with the before and after slider.

• Passport photo backgroundPlain white or light blue behind an ID photo taken at home, with no shadow.
• White backgroundPure 255 white behind the subject, for listings, profiles and forms.
• Background colourAny flat colour behind the subject, down to an exact hex value.
• Remove backgroundThe background off any picture, as a full-size transparent PNG.