Plan a bordered print without losing the edges
Get dimensions and a copyable layout plan. No image file is created. The starting values are a worked example.
Worked example below. Calculate to plan your own print.
Worked example: a 3000 × 4500 pixel photo on 8 × 10 inch paper.
Print the whole photo at 6 in × 9 in
- Paper size
- 8 in × 10 in
- Effective image resolution
- 500 PPI
| Edge | Border |
|---|---|
| Left | 1 in |
| Right | 1 in |
| Top | 0.5 in |
| Bottom | 0.5 in |
The borders differ so your whole photo fits without cropping. The minimum border is a lower limit, not a promise of four equal edges.
Use these image dimensions and offsets in your print layout. Disable automatic fill, crop or borderless enlargement; check the printer or lab preview. PPI is calculated from your pixels, not a sharpness guarantee. This tool does not create or edit an image file.
No upload or signup. Measurements stay on this page and are not saved or included in tool analytics. This plan does not change a PortraitGift order.
Explore custom portrait styles →Why a half-inch border may be wider on two sides
Your photo and paper may have different proportions. Even when they start with the same shape, subtracting an equal physical border from each edge changes the available image area. To keep the entire photo, one pair of borders often has to grow. This calculator treats your border as a minimum and enlarges the photo only until it reaches one of those limits.
For example, a 3000 × 4500 pixel photo on 8 × 10 inch paper with a minimum half-inch border prints at 6 × 9 inches. The top and bottom borders are half an inch; the left and right borders are one inch. All of the image remains visible, at 500 pixels per inch. These are worked-example values, not a print-quality promise.
Leave extra space below a portrait or signature
The optional extra bottom border makes the bottom margin that much deeper than the top. The calculator reserves that extra space first, then centres the photo in the remaining area. Enter zero for ordinary centred placement. Width and height always follow the orientation you enter; swap the paper dimensions yourself if you want to compare portrait and landscape sheets.
The calculation uses the smaller of available width ÷ image pixels wide and available height ÷ image pixels high. That common scale preserves the full image. The unused width is divided equally between left and right; unused height is split between top and bottom, with the extra bottom allowance added back. Nothing is cropped, stretched or uploaded.
Use the plan in your print layout
Set the paper size, place the photo at the calculated image size, and use the reported left and top borders as its offsets. Confirm that your printer can reach those margins. A lab’s border option may work differently: Nations Photo Lab’s border guide illustrates borders inside a fixed print size. Always inspect the lab or printer preview before ordering.
This planner supplies dimensions and a copyable plan; it does not make a downloadable photo, send a print job or add borders to a PortraitGift order. If you prefer to remove image edges for an exact shape, use the photo aspect ratio calculator. To arrange several finished prints on one sheet, use the print sheet layout calculator.
A white paper border is different from a separate mat board. Use the mat size calculator for a cut mat window. Still choosing the artwork for your frame? Preview a photo as a painting, or explore custom portrait styles below.
How it works
- Choose inches or millimetres. Enter the actual paper width and height in the orientation you will use.
- Enter the photo’s pixel width and height from its file information. Set a minimum border on every edge and any extra space wanted below the photo.
- Calculate to see the uncropped image size, four border widths and effective PPI. Copy the plan into your print-layout notes, then check your printer or lab preview.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate white borders for a photo print?
Subtract twice the minimum border from the paper width and height, and subtract any extra bottom allowance from the height. Fit the whole photo inside that space without changing its proportions. Split the leftover width evenly; split the leftover height after reserving the extra bottom border. The calculator gives all four resulting border widths.
Can I keep equal borders without cropping the photo?
Only when the image proportions match the area inside those borders. Otherwise keeping the whole photo requires wider borders on two sides, different paper dimensions, or a different minimum border. This calculator preserves the image and reports the actual borders rather than cropping it.
Is the border included in the paper size?
Yes. An 8 × 10 inch sheet stays 8 × 10 inches. The image becomes smaller inside it. This tool does not add paper outside the dimensions you enter.
What does extra bottom border mean?
It is the additional depth of the bottom border compared with the top. An extra bottom border of 1 inch makes the bottom exactly 1 inch deeper than the top. Set it to zero to centre the image vertically.
Does the PPI result tell me the print will be sharp?
PPI is the number of source pixels per printed inch at the calculated image size. It does not measure focus, compression, viewing distance or paper quality. Increasing a file’s pixel count cannot by itself recover missing detail. Check the lab’s requirements and inspect the photo.
Does this create a bordered image or change my order?
No. It calculates dimensions, shows a proportional diagram and copies a text plan. Apply the plan in your own print layout. It neither produces an image file nor changes any PortraitGift product or order.
Is the calculator free, and are my measurements saved?
The calculator and copyable plan are free, with no photo upload or signup. Inputs stay in page memory and are not saved, placed in URLs or included in tool events. Shared site analytics record usage actions and a visitor identifier.
Explore custom portrait styles →