Aadhaar card size in cm, inches and pixels
"Aadhaar card size" gets searched for two different things, and they need different answers: the physical PVC/paper Aadhaar card itself (the credit-card-sized document you carry), and the passport-style photo used during Aadhaar enrolment or an online update. This guide covers both, with the same number expressed in cm, inches, mm and pixels so you can match whatever unit a form or printer asks for.
The physical Aadhaar card
| Unit | Value |
|---|---|
| Standard size (like a debit card, ID-1 format) | 85.60 × 53.98 mm |
| In centimetres | 8.56 × 5.398 cm |
| In inches | 3.37 × 2.13 inch |
| At 300 DPI (print resolution) | 1011 × 638 px |
This is the same physical size as a bank debit card or a PAN card — the ID-1 format used worldwide for wallet-sized ID documents. You don't need to resize anything to this size yourself; it's only relevant if you're designing a print layout (like a laminated card holder) around it.
The Aadhaar photo (for enrolment/update)
| Unit | Value |
|---|---|
| Pixels | 600 × 600 px |
| Inches | 2 × 2 inch |
| Centimetres | 5.08 × 5.08 cm |
| DPI | 300 |
| File size | 20–100 KB |
Why pixels change when DPI changes
A common point of confusion: the same 2×2 inch photo can be 600×600px or 300×300px depending on the DPI (dots per inch) it was exported at. DPI is simply pixels ÷ inches, so 2 inches × 300 DPI = 600 pixels per side. If a portal asks for a specific pixel count, that pixel count already assumes a DPI — you don't need to set DPI separately in most browser-based tools, since the pixel dimensions alone are what's actually stored and checked by the upload form.
Quick conversion reference
| cm | inch | mm | px at 300 DPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 cm | 1 inch | 25 mm | 300 px |
| 3.5 cm | 1.38 inch | 35 mm | 413 px |
| 4.5 cm | 1.77 inch | 45 mm | 531 px |
| 5.08 cm | 2 inch | 50.8 mm | 600 px |
A note on printing your own reference copy
Some people like to keep a printed photo copy alongside a digital Aadhaar download for their own records, and if you're printing at home or at a local shop, telling the shop the physical size (in cm or inches) rather than a pixel count avoids confusion, since most consumer photo printers and shop software are set up around physical print sizes, not raw pixel dimensions. If you do this yourself with a home printer, remember that print quality depends on both the pixel count and the printer's own DPI setting — a 600×600px file printed at a low DPI setting can come out visibly softer than the same file printed at 300 DPI, even though the file itself didn't change.
This is purely for a personal reference copy — it has no bearing on the actual UIDAI enrolment or update process, which handles the official card and any print production on its own.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to resize the physical Aadhaar card image myself?
No — UIDAI generates and prints the card itself once your enrolment or update is processed; you never upload an image of the card.
Why does my photo editor show a different pixel count for the same 2×2 inch photo?
It depends on the DPI setting used when the file was saved — the same physical size can be exported at different pixel counts, so match the exact pixel number a form asks for rather than just the inch size.
Is cm or inch more accurate for these forms?
Neither — both are just different units for the same physical measurement. What actually matters to an upload form is the pixel dimensions and file size in KB, which is what our tools set directly.
Does the print quality change if I print at a different DPI?
Yes — the same pixel file can look sharper or softer depending on the DPI the printer uses, even though the underlying file hasn't changed.