A photo that looks fine on your phone can look soft or blocky when it’s printed across a blanket or a 1,000-piece puzzle. A few checks make a big difference.
Pick the right photo
- Sharp where it matters — faces and eyes in focus, no motion blur.
- Well lit — daylight is best; very dark photos look grainy when printed.
- Not too tightly cropped — sellers often need space around the edges, and mugs and blankets wrap or trim the image.
- For portraits — send several clear photos showing the face, colouring and markings, not just one favourite.
Use the original file
Every time a photo is screenshotted, sent through a messaging app or downloaded from social media, it can be shrunk and compressed. Where you can, use the original from the phone or camera that took it, or ask the person who took it to send the original file (email or a cloud-sharing link usually keeps more quality than chat apps).
Check the size
Many upload tools warn you if a photo is too small for the product — don’t ignore the warning. If the seller lists a minimum size in pixels, check your photo’s details before you upload.
Old prints
Scan old photos rather than photographing them on a table: a scanner gives even light and no reflections. Many phone scanning apps also flatten and crop the photo for you.
Permission
Only use photos you took or have permission to use, and think twice about photos of other people’s children on items that will be on show.
Last updated 4 October 2026. General guidance only — each seller’s own instructions and terms come first.