How the crop percentage is calculated
Every standard print size is itself a ratio — a 4×6 print is exactly 2:3, a 5×7 is 5:7. When your photo's ratio doesn't match the print's ratio, the lab crops the longer dimension to fill the frame; this calculator compares the two ratios to size that crop. Orientation doesn't change the answer: a landscape shot is printed on landscape paper, so both ratios are compared short-side-to-long-side.
- photo ratio — your photo's short ÷ long side (portrait and landscape give the same crop)
- print ratio — the print size's short ÷ long side (3.5×5 = 0.7, 4×6 ≈ 0.667, 5×7 ≈ 0.714, 6×8 = 0.75, 8×10 = 0.8)
More detail
Why print sizes crop your photo
A print size's inches ARE its ratio: 4×6 is exactly 2:3, but most cameras and phones shoot at 4:3 or 3:2 — neither matches 2:3 exactly. To fill a 4×6 print edge-to-edge with no white borders, the lab crops the excess off the longer side, which is what the percentage above estimates.
Picking a size that crops less
For a 4:3 photo (most phones), 6×8 is an exact match and crops nothing; 5×7 (≈0.714) crops about 4.8% and 8×10 (0.8) about 6.3%, while 4×6 (≈0.667) crops about 11.1%. If you shot at 3:2 (many DSLRs and mirrorless cameras), 4×6 is the exact match and crops the least of the five.
Before you order. If the crop percentage looks high, either recompose so the subject isn't near the edges, or pick a print size whose ratio is closer to your photo's — check each size above before submitting a print order.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my 4:3 photo get cropped on a 4x6 print?
A 4x6 print is exactly a 2:3 ratio (short ÷ long = 0.667), but a 4:3 photo is 3:4 (0.75) — they don't match, so about 11.1% gets cut. To fill the print edge-to-edge the lab crops the longer side; enter your photo's width and height above to see the exact percentage for your shot.
Which print size crops the least for a smartphone photo?
Most phone photos shoot at 4:3, which matches 6x8 (ratio 0.75) exactly — no crop at all. 5x7 (≈0.714) and 8x10 (0.8) come next, and 4x6 (≈0.667) crops the most. Try switching the print size above with the same width/height to compare.
What does the crop percentage actually mean?
It measures how far your photo's ratio is from the print size's ratio, using (1 − min(photo÷print, print÷photo)) × 100 with both ratios taken short side ÷ long side. A larger number means more of your photo's edges get cut off to fill the print without white borders.
How do I avoid losing part of my photo when printing?
Either pick a print size whose ratio is close to your photo's ratio (check the output above across the five sizes), or crop and recompose the shot yourself beforehand so nothing important sits near the edges that would be trimmed.