Should I Crop My Photo Before Uploading?

You do not have to crop your photo before uploading. The upload tool crops it to the puzzle's 5:7 aspect ratio and shows a live preview, so you can either crop it yourself first for full control or let the tool handle the fit. Cropping yourself is worth it when the composition is tight.

What the Upload Tool Does

When you upload, the personalization form fits your photo to the puzzle's 5:7 ratio and shows a preview of the result. Most phone photos are 4:3 or 16:9, so the longer edge gets trimmed slightly to fit. The preview lets you confirm the crop before you place the order, and the tool handles the basic resize to the puzzle shape.

When to Crop It Yourself First

Pre-cropping in your phone or a photo editor gives you control the upload tool cannot, so do it when:

• The subject sits near an edge. A person or object pushed to one side can be clipped by the 5:7 crop. Recompose so the subject is more centered.
• Faces are tight to the frame. Leave breathing room above and around heads; a tight crop has no margin for the aspect-ratio trim.
• Something important is at the edge. Wedding rings, signs, or text near the border often get cropped out.
• You want a specific composition. Cropping yourself means the version you see is exactly the version that prints.

Related Information

For the full guidance on framing, aspect ratio, and choosing a photo that crops cleanly, see our how to choose the right photo for your puzzle guide. If your photo has a specific problem, our photo puzzle troubleshooting guide walks through each one. To start an order, browse our custom photo puzzles.