How to Print Photos From Your iPhone: The Complete Guide

You no longer need expensive camera equipment to capture a breathtaking shot. High-quality smartphone cameras have changed what's possible, and once you've got that picture-perfect photo, it deserves to be more than a thumbnail on your screen. Here's how to print photos from your iPhone and turn them into wall art you'll actually love.

Is my iPhone photo good enough to print?

Yes, in almost every case. The one thing to watch for is resolution: the smaller the file, the more a photo can look pixelated once it's enlarged. As a rough guide, photos from an iPhone 6s or newer (4032 x 3024 pixels) print beautifully up to about 20x26 inches. If you're not sure about an older or lower-res photo, CanvasPop is one of the few printers that specializes in working with lower-resolution images, including photos pulled straight from Instagram and Facebook, so a smaller file isn't a dealbreaker.

A few tips for a better shot before you print

A little technique goes a long way:

• Use your phone's grid (Settings > Photos and Camera > Grid) to line up the rule of thirds.
• Tap to focus, and hold your finger down for a few seconds to lock focus and exposure.
• Use your volume button as a shutter to avoid camera shake.
• Try burst mode for kids, pets, or anything in motion.
• Turn on HDR for high-contrast scenes like landscapes.

Choosing your best shot

It's not always about the picture-perfect image. The lighting doesn't need to be flawless and nothing needs to be perfectly in place. A goofy selfie or a candid shot of your dog can make more memorable wall art than a posed photo. As you look back through your photos, favorite the ones that make you laugh or bring back a good memory, those are usually the ones worth printing.

A few things to weigh once you've picked a favorite: the size and shape of canvas you want (a portrait photo suits a vertical canvas, a landscape photo a horizontal one), whether you want a frame or wrapped edges, and how it'll sit alongside the other art and decor you already have. And if you can't choose just one, a collage lets you print several favorites on a single canvas.

Getting the color and quality right

Once you've chosen your photo, small adjustments make a big difference. Tweaking highlights and midtones can soften or sharpen contrast, increasing saturation brightens up dull tones, and a filter (sepia, black and white, and others) can pull a photo together if the color balance feels off.

Pick your print type

• Canvas print: printed with professional equipment, hand-stretched, and built to last well over 100 years.
• Framed print: displayed on artist-quality fine art paper and fitted with a wood frame.
• Triptych print: one image split across 3 panels for a dynamic look, great for wide shots above a couch, bed, or fireplace.
• Collage print: between 3 and 36 photos on a single canvas, ideal when you can't narrow it down to one.

Sizing, frame, and edge options

Choose from preset sizes based on your photo's dimensions, or select a custom size and preview how it'll look before you order. Pick a frame depth to match your print size, and if you've chosen a framed or collage print, add an edge (mat) for a more traditional look.

From upload to wall

Upload your photo from your phone, computer, Instagram, or Facebook, pick your print type and size, add a filter if you'd like one, and place your order. Every order includes PicturePerfect: our design team personally inspects and optimizes each image, adjusting contrast and sharpness and removing red-eye at no extra cost. You'll get a free digital proof to approve (and request changes to) before anything goes to print, all backed by our Love It For Life Guarantee.

If you've got a photo on your phone that makes you smile every time you see it, it deserves a spot on your wall, not just your phone.