Would you like to print the photos you took during your last trip out of town on paper but don't feel like going to the photographer? Do you need to make passport photos and would you like to find out if there is any PC tool useful for the purpose? Well, then I would say that you have landed on the right guide, at the right time. Just think what a coincidence ... with this tutorial I just wanted to show you a few programs to print photos which can be quite handy in circumstances such as those in question. They are all pretty simple to use, and there are some for both Windows and macOS.
If you are, therefore, actually interested in the question, I advise you not to delay any longer and immediately start concentrating on reading everything reported below. Find the software that you think will work best for you, download it to your computer and immediately start using it. It goes without saying that to proceed with printing your photos you must have a printer connected to your PC or Mac.
How do you say? Would you like to know if I can also recommend some apps for smartphones and tablets through which you can perform the same operation? No problem: at the end of the guide you will find a chapter dedicated to the most interesting apps for Android and iOS that you can use to print your photos from mobile. Oh, I almost forgot: for the sake of completeness of information, I will also inform you of the online services that you can use to order the printed photos and receive everything directly at home. But now just chat and let's take action!
Photo (Windows 10)
Stai using a PC with your installato Windows 10, I am happy to let you know that thanks to the application Gallery already installed on the operating system you can view, edit and print the images on your computer in an incredibly practical and fast way.
To use it for your purpose, call up the Photos app via the Start menu and open the image in relation to which you are interested in going to act, through the section Collection or that one Album (after selecting the relevant photo album). If you don't see any photos, it's because you haven't imported them into the program yet. To get back to us, click on the button Import top right.
Alternatively, you can open your photos by taking them from a specific folder, by clicking on the item Folders which is at the top and then selecting the reference position. If Photos is set as the default program for opening images (for more info about it, read my post on how to change the default program), you can also open them by directly double clicking on the related files.
Once the photo is displayed, click on the button [...] at the top right, select Print from the menu that opens and adjust the print settings by indicating the number of copies,orientation sheet size typology etc., then click on the button Print placed at the bottom.
If you want to make changes to the selected photo before proceeding with the print, press the button with the picture and the pencil visible in the toolbar at the top and take advantage of the tools to improve and adjust the image on the right. If, on the other hand, you want to automatically improve the image, click on the button with the Magic wand that you always find at the top of the window after selecting the photo.
Photo (macOS)
Even in the case of macOS, you don't necessarily need programs to print photos of "third parties", as Apple branded computers integrate the application "as standard" Gallery, thanks to which it is possible to view, edit and even print the images transferred in the relative library.
To use it for your purpose, first start the application by clicking on its icon (the one with the multicolored flower) that you find on Dock bar. Then, if the photos you want to print are not already in the program library, import them by selecting the item Fillet in the menu bar and then that Import. If the photos are on yours iPhone, you can follow the instructions on what to do that I gave you in my tutorial on how to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac.
Next, select the photos you want to print from the section Gallery app (located in the left sidebar), select the menu Fillet and click on Print. Then adjust the print settings using the options on the right. You can define the format, kind of paper and image format on the sheet. Then press the button Print down.
If, before printing the photos, you want to modify them by adjusting brightness, contrast, etc., double-click on the reference photo and use the tools at the top and side of the application window.
IrfanView (Windows)
IrfanView is one of the most versatile free image viewers available for Windows. Thanks to it it is possible to open all the main graphic file formats quickly and easily. It requires very few system resources to work, so it is also suitable for older PCs, and includes all the main functions for basic photo editing: color, brightness and contrast adjustment; ability to crop and resize images and much more.
It supports the printing of single photos or multiple images simultaneously in batch mode and its functions can be expanded thanks to the use of free plugins downloadable from the Internet. What more could you want ?!
To download it to your computer, connect to the program's website and click on the button Download that you find on the left, in correspondence with the name of the Windows version you are using, then press the button Download Now in the new page that opens.
When the download is complete, open the .exe file obtained, click on the button Si and, in the window that opens on the desktop, presses the button NEXT four times in a row and then on the button Done but I will complete the setup.
At this point, you need to download the translation in the city for the program. To do this, go to the IrfanView website again, select the item Languages located at the top and click on the link Installer che trovi in corrispondenza della dicitura city. Then start the .exe file relative to the localization in British just obtained and, in the window that opens on the desktop, click on the buttons install e OK.
Now bring up the program window that in the meantime had opened on the screen and click on the item Options located at the top, then select Change Languageclick your ITALIAN.DLL from the box on the right and then on the button OK. Proceeding in this way, you will translate the software interface into British.
Now you can finally leverage IrfanView for your purpose. So, click on the menu Fillet, select the voice apri and choose the photo on your computer that you want to print. Once the image is displayed, you can proceed with printing by clicking on the button with the printer located on the toolbar.
Through the additional window that opens, adjust all the settings relating to printing: according to those that meet your needs and preferences, you can define theorientation of the press, the dimensions position of the photo on the sheet, you can decide the number of copies to print etc. Then click on the button Print at the bottom right to proceed.
If before proceeding with printing you want to make some simple changes to your images, click on the item Image located at the top of the software window and choose the operation you want to undertake from the menu that opens. You can, for example, rotate the image, flip it horizontally, convert it to grayscale, and so on.
IDPhotoStudio (Windows)
As its name suggests quite easily, IDPhotoStudio is a free program for Windows OS that allows you to print photos in ID photo format. The software is compact, lightweight and extremely simple to use.
Passport photo formats from various countries are supported, but the print settings are highly customizable to suit all needs.
To download it to your PC, connected to the program's website, click on the button Download located on the right and, in the new page that opens, presses the button Download that you find at the program name.
When the download is complete, open the .exe file just got it and presses the button Si in the window that opens. Then select the item I accept the agreement and click on the button Next four times in a row, then on that install e, per conclusdere, pigia sul bottone Finish.
Now that you see the IDPhotoStudio window on your desktop, click on the button Open image at the bottom and select the photo you want to print, then select the print format correct for your country from the drop-down menu options on the right.
Finally, choose how many images you want to print per sheet by moving the cursor under the heading Number of images, adjust (if necessary) the options relating to the printer by pressing the button options and click on the button Print to proceed with printing.
If then before printing the photo you need to rotate the latter, select the appropriate item from the menu Image. If, on the other hand, you want to apply the effect black and white or that one cuttlefish to the image, select the menu options, move the mouse cursor over the item Transform and choose the option you prefer.
FastStone Image Viewer (Windows)
FastStone Image Viewer is an excellent free photo viewing program. It is compatible with all major versions of Windows and supports all popular graphic file formats (BMP, JPEG, JPEG 2000, animated GIF, PNG, PCX, PSD, EPS, TIFF, WMF, ICO, TGA and RAW files of many digital cameras). It has a skinnable interface and is equipped with many advanced functions, such as the one for printing multiple images at the same time.
To use it, go to the program's website, click on the button download for free that you find at the software name and then on the one under the heading portable, on the page that opens, in order to download the version no-install of the program.
When the download is complete, extract theZIP archive got to any Windows location and start the fillet .exe present inside. Now that you see the FastStone Image Viewer window on your desktop, indicate, using theFile Explorer located on the left, the position on your PC where the photos you want to print are located and select the relative ones previews in the right part of the window. Then press the button with the printer located at the top and select the item Print give the menu check if you press.
Using the new window that will open at this point, adjust all the settings relating to printing, defining the margini position of the photos on the sheet, the dimensions of the same, theorientation, number of copies and Gamma correction. If you then need to adjust the printer settings, press the button Print Settings and, finally, click on the button Print down.
If you want to add a frame to them before printing your photos, select the option Draw and Print from the menu visible after clicking the button with the printer placed on the toolbar, while if you want to modify the photo by adjusting the shadows and lights, rotating it etc., use the appropriate buttons that you find on the toolbar and the items attached to the menu bar.
iFotoTessere (macOS)
Are you looking for software that allows you to make and print passport photos on macOS? I would say then that with iFotoTessere you have found bread for your teeth: it is an all-British application that allows you to optimize your images for various types of documents (British and international) and then proceed with the relative printing. It costs € 1,09.
To download it on your Mac, visit the appropriate section of the Mac App Store Online, pig sul sul bottone See in the Mac App Store and click on button with the price in the window of Mac App Store that opens on the desk. Confirm the purchase and wait for the download / installation process to complete.
Once the installation is complete, start the application by clicking on the button apri visible on the screen (or by selecting its icon from the Launchpad), drag the photo you want to print into the program window and select the correct format from the drop-down menu Size.
Therefore, use the control bars in the window Instruments to zoom in, zoom out or rotate the image according to the guidelines that appear on the screen (i green strokes that indicate where the chin and upper forehead should be) and choose the number of photos to be printed from the drop-down menu at the bottom left.
To conclude, click on the button Print, choose the printer and paper size to be used from the appropriate drop-down menus and click on the button OK to proceed with printing the passport photo. It was easy, wasn't it?
Online services for printing photos
As I told you at the beginning of the article, I also want to point out some online services to which you can contact to order the printing of your photos from your computer and receive everything directly at home, after choosing the type of paper to use and the format of the images. You will find those reported that in my opinion represent the best in the category right below.
- 12Print - another Web service belonging to the category characterized by a rather intuitive interface. It should be noted that new registered users are entitled to print 25 photos in standard format for free.
- Photosì - famous portal for ordering the printing of photos in multiple formats. New users are entitled to a 10 euro discount on their first order. Try it now!
For more details about the above services and to know others, I refer you to reading my guide on how to print photos online and my post on how to print digital photos.
App to print photos
“Traditional” programs for printing photos aside, there are also a bunch of app for smartphone and tablet that you can use to perform this operation directly on the move. You ask me what are these applications? Well, below you will find those that in my humble opinion represent the best in the category.
- CHEERZ (Android / iOS) - free app that allows you to select photos saved on your device and order a paper print, with direct delivery to your home. It offers tons of printing options and is super easy to use. Obviously, orders placed must be paid for.
- PrinterShare (Android / iOS) - famous mobile printing app that allows you to print directly from your smartphone without using a computer, as long as the printer is connected to the home network. It is not specifically designed for photos but integrates interesting ad hoc options. You download for free in the trial version but through in-app purchases you can switch to the Pro version (the version for Android costs 2,99, the one for iOS costs 5,49 euros).
- Printer Pro (iOS) - app designed for printing in general with dedicated features for photos. Thanks to it you can print via any Wi-Fi or USB printer. It costs 7,99 euros.
For more details about the above apps and to discover new ones, I recommend you read my article on apps to print photos and my review on apps to print.
Programs for printing photos
