Photo to Frame · Print at home
How to print photos at actual size at home
Three 4x6 photos fit on one 8.5 × 11 in sheet; two fit on A4. Two 5x7s fit on either. An 8x10 fits once on Letter, and on A4 at 97% or borderless. Print at 100% / Actual size.
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How many photos fit on one sheet?
At actual size, with the 0.25 in margin most home printers need (Letter is 8.5 × 11 in; A4 is 21 × 29.7 cm):
| Photo size | Per US Letter | Per A4 |
|---|---|---|
| 10x15 cm | 3 | 2 |
| 4x6 | 3 | 2 |
| 5x7 | 2 | 2 |
| 13x18 cm | 2 | 2 |
| A5 | 1 | 1 |
| 8x8 | 1 | 1 at 97% or borderless |
| 8x10 | 1 | 1 at 97% or borderless |
| 20x30 cm | 1 at 88% | 1 at 94% |
| 8.5x11 | 1 at 93% or borderless | 1 at 91% |
| A4 | 1 at 89% | 1 at 93% or borderless |
| 11x14 | Doesn't fit | Doesn't fit |
| 30x40 cm | Doesn't fit | Doesn't fit |
| 11x17 | Doesn't fit | Doesn't fit |
| 12x16 | Doesn't fit | Doesn't fit |
| A3 | Doesn't fit | Doesn't fit |
| 12x18 | Doesn't fit | Doesn't fit |
| 40x50 cm | Doesn't fit | Doesn't fit |
| 16x20 | Doesn't fit | Doesn't fit |
| 18x24 | Doesn't fit | Doesn't fit |
| 50x70 cm | Doesn't fit | Doesn't fit |
| 20x30 | Doesn't fit | Doesn't fit |
| 24x36 | Doesn't fit | Doesn't fit |
“At 97%”: the print page fits the photo inside your printer's margins, a few percent smaller, with a thin white edge — fine behind a mat. “Borderless”: full size, edge to edge, on a printer with a borderless setting. Both are options on the print-at-home page.
How do you print at actual size?
- Make the page: open Photo to Frame, pick the frame size, add your photo and download the print-at-home PDF (tick "Fill the page" for several copies).
- Open the PDF and choose Print. Pick your paper size (Letter or A4) and photo paper type.
- Set the scale to 100%, Actual size or a custom scale of 100 — not "Fit to page", "Fit to paper" or "Shrink oversized pages". On Windows and Mac this is in the print dialog's scale or page-sizing setting.
- Print one copy and check it with a ruler before printing more, then cut along the marks.
On an iPhone or iPad, print the PDF from the Files app with AirPrint and check the first copy with a ruler: some printer apps scale pages to fit.
Why does my print come out smaller?
Almost always because the print dialog is set to fit the page, which shrinks everything to the printable area. Switch to 100% or Actual size. If the size is right but an edge is cut, the photo is larger than the printable area — choose a size that fits the sheet (see the table), use the print page's “Fit to printable area” option, or use a print shop.
Can you print 8.5x11 borderless at home?
Yes, on a printer with a borderless mode. Most home printers can't print the last few millimetres of the sheet, so a print as big as the paper — 8.5x11 on Letter, A4 on A4 — needs one of two routes. The print page for 8.5x11 or A4 offers both: Borderless printer (no margins) puts the photo at full size edge to edge (turn on Borderless in the print dialog and print at 100%), and Fit to printable area prints it a few percent smaller with a thin white edge on any printer. For an exact print without fuss, send the photo file to a print shop.
Frequently asked questions about printing photos at home
How many 4x6 photos fit on 8.5x11 paper?
Three, at actual size inside a 0.25 in printer margin: two side by side and one turned sideways. On A4, two fit.
Why does my photo print smaller than the size I chose?
The print dialog is scaling it. Choose 100%, "Actual size" or a custom scale of 100, and turn off "Fit to page", "Fit to paper" or "Shrink oversized pages".
Can I print an 8.5x11 photo borderless at home?
Yes, if your printer has a borderless setting. In Photo to Frame, pick 8.5x11, add your photo and under "Print it at home" choose "Borderless printer (no margins)", then download the print page and print it with Borderless turned on at 100%. Without a borderless printer, choose "Fit to printable area" instead: it prints at 93% with a thin white edge.
Which paper should I use?
Glossy or matte photo paper in Letter or A4. Set the paper type in the print dialog so the printer uses the right amount of ink.
More: the print size chart · DPI explained · 4x6 photo size · 5x7 photo size · 8x10 photo size