Are my smartphone photos high enough quality to print?

Yes! Most modern smartphones capture high-resolution images that are perfect for your Stareworthy book. We’ve personally tested hundreds of smartphone photos—even in our largest book sizes—and they print beautifully.

That said, a few things can impact print quality, like your phone model, the image resolution, and how large the photo is printed. To make sure your book looks its very best, it’s important to double-check your photo files before uploading.

Here are our top tips for getting the best results:

• Avoid uploading photos that appear pixelated or blurry, especially if you’re creating your book on a mobile device where small screens can make it hard to spot issues.

• Preview your book on a desktop if possible—you’ll get a better sense of how your photos will look once printed.

• Recommended image resolution is 300 DPI, and a good rule of thumb is that files under 1.5 MB likely will not print as clearly.

Here's a great example: On the right, you'll see an (adorable!) image originally captured on an iPhone 14Pro. As you can see, it looks crisp and clear. This image's file size is 1.8 MB. The version of the same image on the left, however, was shared via email, causing file compression. As a result, it appears pixelated. Its file size is just 40kb, which is far too small and low resolution for a quality print. (Fun fact, this original image was actually printed in one of our 12x12 layflat books, straight from an iPhone)

Here's an enlargement of the same images above:

Left: Low Quality (file was compressed in sharing) 

Right: High Quality (standard iPhone image)

Please ensure to check your images prior to uploading them into your book! If you preview your book and your image appears pixelated like the image on the left in this example, then that is how your image will look when printed. 

Bonus Tip:
Did you know that many smartphones now let you shoot in RAW mode? RAW files are less compressed than JPEGs or HEICs and capture much more detail—making them ideal for both editing and printing. If you're up for experimenting, check your phone’s camera settings to see if RAW capture is available. The results can be stunning!