Fix photocard colour, size and cropped print problems

First separate a PDF problem from a print problem

Open the exported PDF and inspect the same card at a useful zoom. If text or a face is already missing there, return to the crop: use Plain photo and Fit entire photo for a finished design. Decorative template artwork may cover parts of an image placed beneath it.

If the PDF looks correct but paper output is clipped or scaled, check driver paper size, orientation, printable area and Actual size / 100%. Disable Fit, Shrink and borderless expansion. A printer with a larger unprintable margin may require a different layout; Fit changes the finished size.

When the print is too dark or has a colour cast

A backlit screen can look brighter than reflected paper. Compare under consistent neutral light and avoid judging a print against a very bright display. Confirm the paper type in the driver matches the loaded stock; a different coating or wrong media setting changes the result.

For an inkjet, run the manufacturer’s nozzle check if colours are missing or banded. For a laser, follow the manufacturer’s toner and calibration guidance. Only use printer maintenance procedures described for your device.

Avoid stacking colour corrections in multiple places. If you use a managed workflow, follow the print application, paper profile and driver instructions to decide which component manages colour. The browser PDF export does not supply a custom ICC profile or a device-specific colour proof.

When edges or small details look soft

Check the effective DPI after cropping and zooming. A 55 × 85 mm edge-to-edge card needs about 650 × 1004 retained pixels for 300 DPI. Export resolution cannot restore detail absent from the original. Try a sharper source before increasing enhancement.

Inspect an optional enhanced result for changed facial texture, letters and edges before printing. Also check the driver quality setting and paper compatibility. Do not interpret a 300 DPI badge as proof that the printer or source image is sharp.

When size, page count or copies are wrong

Print the separate calibration PDF at Actual size / 100%. Both horizontal and vertical rulers must measure 50 mm. Match the PDF paper size in the driver and select one PDF page per sheet. A correct horizontal ruler does not prove that the vertical scale is correct.

Use one printer copy because the PDF already includes card quantities. Double-sided PDFs alternate front and back pages: two PDF pages make one physical sheet. Confirm page order and flip direction with one pair before printing all pages.

Keep the useful evidence

Save the printer model, browser or PDF viewer, paper, driver settings, measured ruler lengths and which PDF page failed. Use the Contact page if the file itself is wrong. Share non-private screenshots or settings rather than personal photos or full project backups.