Files and resolution
Why does my print cut off part of the photo?
A print crops your photo when the picture and product have different shapes. Choose a closer-fitting shape, crop the original deliberately or add margins before uploading. Changing to a smaller size with the same shape will not bring the missing edges back.
Jared Christiansen
Separate the picture’s shape from its size
A 4000 × 3000 photo has a 4:3 shape. A square product has a 1:1 shape, so filling the square removes some of the longer dimension. A smaller square has the same mismatch. If every person must remain visible, choose a compatible format or prepare a square image with margins in an image editor.
Check the actual visible area, not only the paper dimensions. A frame can hide the perimeter; a canvas may place part of the image on the sides. Keep faces, text and important details away from those edges. Review the product preview before ordering.
Use the original file
Export from the camera, illustration app or photo library at the largest useful size. A screenshot of a photo is usually a worse starting point than the original. A messaging app may also reduce the file before you download it.
Cropping spends pixels. If a face fills only a small corner of a landscape photograph, turning that corner into a large portrait print leaves less detail than the full image suggests.
Match the shape before the size
A square photo does not fill a tall poster without losing part of the left and right. The studio centers the crop to match the selected product. Choose a closer-fitting shape, or prepare margins in the source file before uploading when you need to preserve the whole image.
A canvas has sides as well as a front. Use the preview to see which details reach the wrap. A paper print has different edges, and a frame may cover part of the perimeter.
Review at the size you will order
Use the studio’s resolution estimate for the selected size. A file that works for a mug can look soft on a large wall piece. Inspect the picture closely, then step back and consider the normal viewing distance.
- Attach the original photo in the studio.
- Choose the product and orientation.
- Check the resolution estimate and crop.
- Keep text and faces clear of the product edges.
How do I print a photo without cutting off a face?
The studio centers the image crop to fit the product shape. A 4:3 photograph fitted to a square loses content from the left and right. If someone stands near an edge, choosing a smaller square does not fix that shape mismatch.
Try an available format whose shape is closer to the photograph. If the centered crop still removes something important, prepare a differently cropped image or add margins in an image editor before uploading it. Keep faces and lettering inside the visible front of the product, then check the upload resolution at the size you chose.
- Upload the original photograph and inspect the product preview.
- Choose a shape that preserves the people or details you need.
- If necessary, adjust the source file before uploading it again.
Common questions
- Will AutoPrint repaint my uploaded photo?
- The upload path uses your photo or artwork as the image. Choose generation separately if you want a new picture.
- Can a small image become a sharp large print?
- Increasing the dimensions alone does not restore missing detail. Choose a smaller print or a higher-resolution original when fine detail matters.
- Can I move the crop around inside the studio?
- The current product preview centers the image crop. To preserve an off-center subject, choose a closer-fitting product shape or prepare the crop and margins in your source file before uploading.