Can’t find the answer to your question here? Contact us

Q: Do my photographs have to be in any particular format to share and print?
A: Yes, Shutterfly currently supports only JPEG (.jpg) images.

Go to top

Q: Why did I receive a JPEG error when uploading an image using the Browse Upload?
A: The image you attempted to upload was either not a JPEG or was a broken JPEG. A JPEG is considered broken when there are inconsistencies in the original image file. JPEGs created by older image editors, like Photoshop 3 and earlier, may not work correctly either. Please use a current version of an image editor to save your images out as a new JPEG file. Make sure to choose the lowest compression setting in doing so to maintain the best image quality for printing your picture.

Go to top

Q: What are the minimum recommended resolutions for JPEG images?
A: When you order pictures, you may get a "not recommended" message. This means that the resolution of your picture is too low for the size of print you want. We recommend comparing the resolution of your pictures to our resolution guidelines. Using these resolutions as a guide will help you print the best pictures possible.

(Please note that our recommendations are based ONLY on the overall resolution of your picture, and not on the overall quality or clarity of the original picture. We are not and cannot be responsible for the original picture being blurry or out-of-focus, even if there is sufficient resolution to be 'recommended'.)

Pictures that fall below our recommended resolution guidelines may look okay when viewed online, but will appear blurry and pixelated — that is, the image will appear blocky, with jagged rather than straight edges — when enlarged and printed.

To check the resolution of your pictures once you have transferred them to Shutterfly, go to the View page and click on the thumbnail image; you will then see a larger version of the picture, with recommended print sizes. Above these, hold your cursor over the lowercase 'i'. Among the information displayed you will find the resolution.

For large-format prints (11x14, 16x20, and 20x30), our recommendations are similar to those for an 8x10, although you may wish to help ensure the best possible print by using an image that is 3 megapixels or larger.

Our resolution recommendations are as follows:

Go to top

Q: What if my image is a non-standard size?
A: If you don't apply the crop tool to your picture yourself, Shutterfly will automatically crop your image to fit the dimensions of the print size you chose. If we have to crop from the sides of the image to make it fit the paper, we crop an equal amount from each side. If we have to crop from the top or bottom of the image, we crop an equal amount from both the top and bottom.

If your picture does not fit the dimensions of the selected print size you can still have your entire picture included on the print by selecting the 'No crop' option on the cropping menu, and then selecting 'Crop preview'. The appropriate size white border will be included on the print such that the entire image is printed.

Note: Shutterfly determines what edge is the top of the image based on how you've rotated them for display on our Web site. So to get the proper behavior, you should rotate your portrait-mode images so they are displayed right-side up instead of sideways.

For more information about the free online cropping tool, please refer to our cropping help page.

Go to top