What to verify
- **Pixel dimensions** — width × height, exactly as the requirement states them. This is the number most forms validate first.
- **Byte size** — whether the file sits inside a stated KB or MB range, with a margin at each end.
- **Format** — the extension must match the content. A file named `.jpg` that is really a PNG confuses some uploaders.
- **Orientation** — portrait versus landscape, which is easy to get backwards after a rotation.
- **Aspect ratio** — whether the ratio of your image matches the requirement's ratio, so nothing has to be stretched later.
Checking in seconds
- Drop the file onto Image Metadata. It reads the file header in your browser and prints the format, width, height, byte size and, for JPEG, the orientation flag — no upload, no waiting.
- Compare each printed value against the requirement, line by line. Read the requirement again while you do it; misreading "200 KB maximum" as "200 px" is common.
- If the print size matters — for example the photo will be printed — check how large it comes out at the intended DPI with DPI Checker.
- Only after everything matches should you submit. If something does not match, fix that one value and re-check, rather than adjusting several things at once.
Check the file you are about to upload, not the original. If you have already edited, exported or re-saved it, the values may differ from what you remember.
Reading the numbers
- **A dimension larger than required** — safe for most forms but wasteful; it also makes hitting a byte limit harder. Trim it with Resize Image if the limit is tight.
- **A dimension smaller than required** — cannot be fixed by stretching. Re-scan or re-photograph if the requirement is firm.
- **A size just under the limit** — risky if your encoder and theirs count bytes differently; leave a few per cent of headroom.
- **A format not on the accepted list** — convert first with Image Converter, then re-verify.
An instruction such as "recent photograph, JPEG, 200 × 230 px, between 20 KB and 50 KB" gives you four separate checks: exactly 200 × 230 pixels, JPEG format, above 20 KB and below 50 KB. Real requirements vary widely by authority and change over time — always work from the instruction in front of you, never from a remembered example like this one.
Common questions
Can I check dimensions without installing anything?
Yes. Image Metadata reads the header in your browser and reports dimensions and file size without uploading the file.
Why does the size Windows shows differ from the requirement?
Operating systems commonly show KB as 1024 bytes while some forms count 1000. The difference is small but can push a file that looks compliant over the line, so leave headroom.
Does checking metadata expose my photo?
No. The checker only reads the file header locally. Nothing is sent anywhere — the same is true of every tool on this site.