UPSC Photo & Signature Size 2026

For the UPSC online application you upload a photo of 20–200 KB and a signature image of 20–100 KB, and a live photo is captured as well. Since 2026 the signature image must show your signature three times, one below the other.

Checked against: UPSC CSE 2026 Notice No. 05/2026-CSE; KB limits from the UPSC IES/ISS 2026 notice (same online application system) · last checked 19 Oct 2026 · हिंदी

Upload requirements at a glance

Upload	Size	File size	Format
Photo	Not specified in the notice	20–200 KB	JPG
Signature (signed 3 times)	Not specified in the notice	20–100 KB	JPG

Requirements change between notifications. Always confirm against the official notice before you submit.

Make your UPSC photo and signature here

Drop your photo or scan here, or click to choose

JPG, PNG or WebP. It stays on your device — nothing is uploaded.

Rules for each upload

Photo

Scanned photograph in JPG format, not less than 20 KB and not more than 200 KB.
A live photo is also captured while you fill the Common Application Form; both must be clear and match your appearance.

Signature (signed 3 times)

Sign three times, one below the other, on plain white paper with black ink, and upload it as one image.
JPG, not less than 20 KB and not more than 100 KB. All three signatures must be clear.

Before you apply

UPSC links its detailed photo instructions from upsconline.nic.in (Instructions and FAQs). That instruction page was not reachable when we checked, so rules such as face coverage are not listed here — read them on the application site.
An older UPSC OTR FAQ mentions 350–1000 px and 300 KB; the 2026 notices use the KB limits shown above.

How to prepare and upload your UPSC files, step by step

Read the photo and signature paragraph of the CSE 2026 notice, then the Instructions and FAQs on upsconline.nic.in. Detailed photo rules such as face coverage are published there, so read them before you take the picture.
Get a clear, recent photograph that looks like you do now; the live photo captured during the Common Application Form has to match your appearance.
Take a plain white sheet and sign three times with a black ink pen, one signature directly below the other, leaving a little space between them.
Scan or photograph the photo and the signature sheet in good light.
In the tool above, open the Photo tab. UPSC gives no pixel size, so the tool crops to a 3.5 : 4.5 passport shape and saves a JPG between 20 and 200 KB.
Switch to the "Signature (signed 3 times)" tab. It keeps the original shape of your crop, so frame all three signatures together, tick "Make the paper pure white" and make a JPG of 20–100 KB.
Open the downloaded signature file and check that all three signatures are readable. Faint signatures that disappear after compression are a reason to rescan.
Upload both files in the Common Application Form on upsconline.nic.in, and sit in good light when the live photo is captured.
Ignore pixel and KB figures from older UPSC pages; the 2026 notices use only the KB limits shown in the table.

Why UPSC uploads get rejected — and how to fix each one

Only one signature in the image. Fix: Since 2026 UPSC wants the signature three times, one below the other. Sign again on a fresh white sheet and remake the file.
Three signatures uploaded as three separate images. Fix: Put all three on one sheet and upload them as one image, which is what the notice asks for.
Signature image smaller than 20 KB. Fix: UPSC sets a 20 KB minimum. The tool pads a small file with blank metadata until it reaches 20 KB, without touching the picture.
One of the three signatures faint or cut off at the edge. Fix: All three must be clear. Use black ink, scan in good light and leave a margin around the block before cropping.
Photo above 200 KB or below 20 KB. Fix: Make it in the Photo tab, which picks a JPEG quality inside the 20–200 KB range.
Uploaded photo does not look like the live photo. Fix: Use a recent photo of your present appearance; both images have to be clear and match.
File prepared to the older 350–1000 px / 300 KB guidance. Fix: Remake it to the 2026 KB limits: photo 20–200 KB, signature image 20–100 KB.

UPSC final checklist before you submit

Photo: JPG, 20–200 KB, recent and clear.
Signature: signed three times, one below the other, black ink, white paper.
Signature image: one JPG, 20–100 KB, all three signatures readable.
Instructions and FAQs on upsconline.nic.in read for the full photo rules.
Good light ready for the live photo in the Common Application Form.
Limits re-checked in the notice of the exam you are applying for.

Frequently asked questions

What is the UPSC photo size for 2026?

A JPG photo of not less than 20 KB and not more than 200 KB. A live photo is also captured during the application.

Why does UPSC want three signatures?

The CSE 2026 notice asks candidates to sign three times, one below the other, on white paper in black ink and upload it as a single image of 20–100 KB.

Does UPSC give a pixel size?

The 2026 notices give only KB limits. The tool keeps your photo at a passport shape (3.5 : 4.5) and adjusts the file to fit 20–200 KB.

Can I upload the three UPSC signatures as separate files?

No. All three signatures go on one sheet, one below the other, and are uploaded together as a single JPG image of 20–100 KB.

Should I follow the 300 KB limit from the old UPSC OTR FAQ?

No. That older FAQ mentions 350–1000 px and 300 KB, but the 2026 notices set 20–200 KB for the photo and 20–100 KB for the signature image. Use the 2026 limits.

Official sources

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