A rejected upload is frustrating, especially when the portal only says “invalid file”. The good news is that the reasons are few, and each has a simple fix.
The file is too big or too small
Most portals set both a minimum and a maximum size in KB. A file can fail for being too small, which surprises many people. If your photo is far above the limit, shrink it. If it is below the minimum, you may need a slightly higher quality setting. The exam photo and signature resizer lets you pick your exam so the size range is applied for you. For a custom limit, use the resize image to KB tool.
The dimensions are wrong
Some portals check width and height in pixels, others in centimetres. A photo that is too wide, too tall or the wrong shape may be refused or stretched. Crop to the shape in the notice first, then resize.
The format is not allowed
Many forms accept only JPG or JPEG. A PNG, a HEIC photo from an iPhone, or a file renamed by hand will fail. Convert the picture properly instead of changing the extension. See our guide on converting HEIC to JPG.
The picture is blurry or dark
Heavy compression, a shaky hand or poor light can all make a photo look soft. Retake it in daylight, then resize once. Resizing the same file again and again keeps lowering the quality.
The background or face does not meet the rule
Forms often ask for a plain light background, a straight face and no caps or dark glasses. A portal with a human reviewer may reject a photo even when the file passes the upload check. Read the instructions in the official notice.
The signature is too small or too light
Sign with a dark pen on white paper, then crop close to the signature. A thin grey scribble can disappear after compression.
Quick fix routine
- Read the official notice and write down size range, dimensions and format.
- Retake the photo or signature if the original is poor.
- Crop, resize and compress in one pass.
- Check the final file size in your file manager.
- Upload and look at the preview before submitting.
When it still fails
Try a different browser, clear the page and upload again. Some portals fail on slow connections or on very long file names, so use a short name such as photo.jpg. If the problem continues, note the exact error message and contact the helpdesk listed in the notice.
For a full pre-upload list, see our photo and signature checklist, and browse the India exam pages for exam-specific guidance.