Resize your photo & signature for UPSC
Get your photograph to 20–200 KB and your signature to 20–100 KB, the sizes the UPSC online application accepts. Your documents never leave your device.
What the form actually requires
- Photograph size
- 20 KB to 200 KB, JPG, filename “photo”. UPSC states no pixel dimensions, so this tool outputs 400 × 400 px.
- Face coverage
- Your face must cover 75% (three-quarters) of the photo. UPSC rejects photos where the face is too small — this is the most common reason.
- Photograph rules
- Plain white background. Frontal view, head centred, both ear lobes visible. Eyes open and not covered by hair. Natural expression. No uniform, no dark glasses, no shadows, no glare on spectacles. The photograph must NOT be signed.
- Signature size
- 20 KB to 100 KB, JPG, filename “signature”. UPSC states “image dimensions: 350 – 500 pixels” without saying which dimension, so this tool outputs 350 × 500 px — using both ends of the band, so it is inside the range whichever way it is read.
- Signature — three times
- UPSC requires your signature THREE times, one below the other, in a single image, in black ink on plain white paper with adequate gaps between them.
- Live photograph
- Separately, UPSC requires a live photo captured through your webcam or by scanning a QR code on your phone. It is matched against the passport photo you upload — if they do not match you cannot proceed.
Source: UPSC — Instructions for uploading the photo & signature (PDF) · last checked 2026-07-28. Specifications change between exam cycles — always confirm against the current notification.
How to prepare your triple signature
- Take a sheet of plain white paper — no lines, no colour.
- Sign your name three times, one below the other, using a black pen. Leave a clear gap between each signature.
- Scan or photograph all three together in one image, straight on and in good light. Do not photograph at an angle.
- Crop tightly around the three signatures using the tool above.
- Resize to 20–100 KB and rename the file to signature.jpg before uploading.
UPSC rejects the file if the signatures are side by side, if there are fewer than three, if the ink is blue, or if the image is blurred or rotated.
Common questions
Why does UPSC want my signature three times?
UPSC uses the three samples to check that your signature is consistent, which helps verify identity later at the exam centre and during document verification. Sign three times on plain white paper in black ink, one below the other with a clear gap between each, then scan or photograph all three together as a single image. A file containing only one signature is rejected.
Can I put the three signatures side by side?
No. UPSC explicitly rejects signatures arranged horizontally. They must be stacked vertically, one below the other. Blue ink is also rejected — it has to be black.
My photo was rejected. What is the most likely reason?
Almost always the face is too small. UPSC requires your face to cover 75% of the photograph, and the sample rejections in their own instructions are mostly for this. Crop tightly so your head fills most of the frame, keeping both ear lobes visible. This tool lets you position the crop before resizing so you can get that right.
What size should the signature image be in pixels?
UPSC states “Image dimensions: 350 - 500 pixels” but does not say whether that applies to the width, the height, or both. Read strictly — both sides within 350 to 500 — the image has to be roughly square to slightly portrait, and a tightly cropped triple signature is usually a little taller than that allows. This tool outputs 350 × 500 pixels, which uses both ends of the stated band and so is inside the range whether they meant the width, the height or both. It is also the most portrait shape the range allows, which suits three signatures stacked one below the other — a squarer frame would force each signature smaller, and UPSC rejects signatures that are not clear.
Does UPSC specify pixel dimensions for the photograph?
No. The instructions give a file size of 20 to 200 KB and require 75% face coverage, but state no pixel dimensions or aspect ratio. This tool outputs 400 × 400 pixels, matching the accepted sample photos in UPSC’s own instructions. Because a face is taller than it is wide, filling 75% of a square frame means cropping in tight — roughly hairline to chin, with both ear lobes still at the edges. The dotted oval on the crop step shows exactly how far your face needs to reach.
What is the live photograph, and does this tool handle it?
The live photograph is captured inside the UPSC portal itself through your webcam or phone camera — it is not a file you upload, so there is nothing to resize. What matters is that it must match the passport photograph you upload here. Use a recent photo that genuinely looks like you, or the application will be stopped.
Does the file need a specific name?
Yes. UPSC asks for the photograph to be saved as “photo” and the signature as “signature”, both in JPG format. Rename the downloaded files before uploading them.
Which UPSC exams does this cover?
These instructions come from the UPSC online application portal and apply across its examinations, including Civil Services, CDS, NDA, CAPF, IFS and Engineering Services. Each notification can still add its own requirements, so check the one for your exam.