UPSC photo size tool
UPSC’s online application takes a colour JPG photograph between 20 KB and 200 KB — with rules about the content, too: plain white background, face covering roughly three-fourths of the frame, head centered, both ears visible. This preset compresses to just under 200 KB, keeping maximum quality for the review that follows.
Recent notices have varied on the exact upper bound (200 KB in most guidance, 300 KB in some), which is a good reason to aim well under the lower of the two — and to read your notification.
UPSC photo preset: JPG, 20–200 KB, plain white background, ~75% face coverage.
Drop images here — or click to browse, or paste with Ctrl+V
JPG · PNG · WebP — processed on your device, never uploaded
How it works
- Open this page — the compressor is already set for “UPSC photo size tool”.
- Drop your image into the box, click to browse, or paste it with Ctrl+V.
- The tool re-encodes the image on your own device until it fits the target — nothing is uploaded.
- Check the preview and file size on the result card, then download.
UPSC upload requirements (2026 guidance)
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Photo file size | 20 KB – 200 KB (some notices allow up to 300 KB — check yours) |
| Photo format | JPG only, saved with filename “photo” |
| Background | Plain white |
| Face coverage | About 75% (three-fourths) of the frame, head centered, both ears visible |
| Signature file size | 20 KB – 100 KB, dimensions 350–500 px |
Compiled July 2026 from the current notices and portal guidance. Requirements change between recruitment cycles — always confirm against the official notification for your application before submitting.
Tips for a first-try acceptance
- UPSC doesn’t fix pixel dimensions for the photo, but the face-coverage rule effectively does: crop so your face fills about three-quarters of the frame before compressing.
- Name the downloaded file “photo.jpg” before uploading — recent UPSC guidance asks for that exact filename.
- For the signature, run a separate pass: target 90 KB, and crop the scan to 350–500 px on the long side.
- Don’t re-use last year’s photo file: UPSC rejects photos that don’t match the current appearance and some cycles require the photo to be recent.
Frequently asked questions
Does UPSC accept the same photo I used for SSC?
The physical photo may qualify (recent, white background), but the file requirements differ — SSC wants 20–50 KB at 3.5 × 4.5 cm; UPSC allows up to 200 KB and judges face coverage instead of exact centimetres. Run the same source photo through each preset.
What does “face should cover 75% of the photo” actually mean?
Measured loosely: from chin to top of head should span about three-quarters of the frame’s height, with the head centered and both ears visible. Crop before compressing; the tool preserves whatever framing you give it.
Why does this preset aim at 190 KB and not 200?
Margin against measurement differences. 190 KB is visually identical to 200 KB for a form photo and immunizes you against a validator that counts kilobytes as 1000 bytes.