KNEC Passport Photo Size and Resizer

Updated 17 October 2026

KNEC is strict about one thing during exam registration: the candidate’s passport photo. It must be the right size, and once registration closes it cannot be changed. That photo then appears on the candidate’s records, so a bad one is hard to undo. The tool above makes a correctly sized, square photo on your own phone or computer. Nothing is uploaded to our server.

KNEC Photo Requirement: 300 x 300 Pixels

KNEC’s registration circulars, as published by education news sites, state that candidates must upload passport photographs with specifications of 300 x 300 pixels. The rule appears for:

• KCSE school candidates, where principals upload the photos through the KNEC registration portal using the examination centre login.
• KCPE and KCSE private candidates, including those in prison, where registration officers must make sure candidates upload photos of that size.
• Private candidates registering for the July KCSE series, who also present original and copy identification documents and a soft copy of the photo.

The circulars also warn that there will be no replacement or changing of photographs once the registration period is over.

The tool is preset to 300 x 300 pixels with a white background. We could not find an official maximum file size in KB, so it aims for under 100 KB, which is small enough for any portal we know of and still sharp at that size.

How to Make a KNEC-Ready Photo

1. Take a clear picture. Plain light wall, daylight from the front, camera at eye level, candidate looking straight ahead with a neutral expression. School uniform is common for school candidates, but follow your school’s instructions.
2. Load it into the tool. “Passport photo” is selected by default.
3. Frame it. Use the sliders so the head and top of the shoulders fill the square, with a little space above the hair.
4. Download. The result line confirms 300 x 300 px and the file size.
5. Check the name. Rename the file to the candidate’s name or index number before handing it to the school, so photos are not mixed up.

Tips for Schools and Exam Centres

Principals uploading a whole class can process photos one after another in the tool without reloading the page. Because every file stays on the computer, there is no risk of candidates’ photos being stored on a third-party site, which matters when the subjects are minors. Check each photo against the candidate’s name before uploading, since KNEC will not accept changes later.

Common Problems and Fixes

The portal says the photo is the wrong size

Photos straight from a phone are thousands of pixels wide. Run them through the tool and they will come out at exactly 300 x 300.

The face looks squashed

Squeezing a tall photo into a square distorts it. The tool crops instead of stretching, so faces keep their shape.

Wrong photo uploaded

Contact the examination centre or registration officer immediately, while registration is still open. After it closes, KNEC says photos cannot be replaced.

Related Exam Guides

After KCSE, school leavers move on to placement and funding. See how KUCCPS placement works, KUCCPS cut-off points and how to apply for HELB for the first time. For other photo sizes, use our eCitizen Passport Photo Size and Resizer or the HELB Upload Requirements and Compressor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does KNEC accept PNG?

We could not confirm the accepted formats officially. The tool saves JPG, which is the most widely accepted photo format.

Can I change the size?

Yes. Type any width and height if a different KNEC service asks for another size.

Are candidates’ photos stored anywhere?

No. Files never leave your device. Everything runs inside your browser.

Is it free?

Yes, with no limit on the number of photos.