Choose a JPG or PNG photo and download it as a PDF, for free in your browser. For an ID card, add the back and put both sides on one A4 or Letter page at real size; for a full-page scan, choose Document.
How to turn your ID into a PDF
- Choose a photo, scan or PDF of the front of your document, then Add the back. If you photographed the card on a table, choose Crop above the preview, drag the four corners onto the card and choose Done to straighten it. Rotate turns a sideways photo upright.
- In Layout, keep Front and back on one sheet, pick the paper, A4 or Letter, and the size: real size, 150% or 200%.
- Choose Download: the PDF lands in your downloads (Files > Downloads on an iPhone). It holds an image of each side, and the location data your camera saved is not carried over.
Real size, enlarged, and both sides on one page
A copy at real size prints exactly as big as the document, as a photocopy would. The sizes are the ones set by ICAO Doc 9303, the international standard for passports and identity cards used for travel:
- ID card or driver's license: most are the size of a bank card, 85.6 by 54 mm (3.37 by 2.13 in), the size ICAO calls TD1.
- Passport: the page with your photo and details is 125 by 88 mm (4.92 by 3.46 in), TD3. Choose Passport in the Document list and the tool uses that size.
150% and 200% enlarge the copy, for anyone who asks for an enlarged copy and for small print that has to stay legible on paper. If both sides do not fit on the sheet at the size you chose, the tool shrinks them together and says so.
Front and back on one page means one file to attach and one sheet to print, with nothing to merge. The tool stacks the front above the back, centered, with a small gap between them. If the recipient wants each side on its own page, turn the option off and the PDF gets one page per side.
A4 or Letter
The United States and Canada print on Letter (8.5 by 11 in). The United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, India and Singapore print on A4 (210 by 297 mm). Pick the paper of the country where the copy will be printed. Real size stays real on either sheet; only the margins change.
Readable beats small
Whoever receives the copy has to read it. GOV.UK asks employers for a copy of a right to work document that cannot be changed and is clear enough to read, and USCIS asks that every image uploaded as evidence be clear, with all text readable, in PDF, JPG or JPEG. Crop to the edges of the card before you convert: a photo that shows the table around it prints the card small and blurry.
The PDF comes out compressed. If it has to fit an exact upload limit, such as 1 MB, Compress, in the Tools menu at the top of the page, fits the file to it.
Common questions
How do I convert JPG to PDF or PNG to PDF?
Choose the JPG or PNG image, select PDF as the output format and download the copy. For a full-page image, choose Document; for a card, choose its document type. The PDF contains images, with no searchable text or OCR.
How do I put the front and back of my ID on one page?
Choose the front, then Add the back, and keep Front and back on one sheet in Layout. The tool stacks both sides on one A4 or Letter page, at real size unless you pick 150% or 200%, and gives you a single PDF.
Can I turn a photo of my ID into a PDF on my iPhone?
Yes. Photograph each side with the Camera app, or scan them with the document scanner in Notes or Files, then open this page in Safari and choose them. Crop straightens a card photographed at an angle, and Download puts the PDF in Files > Downloads, ready to attach in Mail, Messages or any other app.
How do I convert a passport copy to PDF?
Choose a photo or scan of the page with your photo and details, then choose Passport in the Document list so the tool uses the passport page's real size, 125 by 88 mm. Add a second page as the back if the recipient also wants it.
What size is an ID card copy at 100%?
The size of the card itself: 85.6 by 54 mm, or 3.37 by 2.13 inches, for ID cards and most driver's licenses, and 125 by 88 mm for a passport page. Print the PDF with scaling turned off, at actual size, or the printer may enlarge it to fill the paper.
Can I select or copy the text in the PDF?
No. The PDF holds an image of each side, as a scan would, so its text cannot be selected or searched. Nothing from the original file comes along except what you see on the page.
Is my ID uploaded to make the PDF?
No. The PDF is built in your browser, on your device. Once the page has loaded, it works with Wi-Fi and mobile data turned off.
