How to copy both sides of an ID card onto one page
Landlords, employers, banks and schools often ask for a copy of an ID with both sides on one page. On a photocopier that is two passes and some careful placement. From two phone photos, it can be done in a single step — and a copy you send by email deserves a little protection.
Updated September 28, 20264 min read
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Copy an ID card front and back, step by step
Take the two photos first; the order you add them decides which side is the front.
- Photograph the front and then the back, with the card flat on a dark surface.
- Open ID card front and back and add the two photos, front first.
- Choose Letter or A4, run the tool and download the PDF.
- Print at 100% or “Actual size” with scaling turned off, so the copy matches the card.
Getting a clean edge
Each side is found in its photo by the contrast between the card and what is around it, then straightened and sized to a standard card: 85.6 × 54 mm. If the edges are not found, the middle of the photo is used and the result tells you so — retake it rather than send a crooked copy.
- Use a dark table or a sheet of dark paper under the card.
- Keep all four corners in the frame, with some space around them.
- Tilt the phone slightly to avoid glare on the photo or hologram.
Protect the copy before you send it
An ID copy in someone’s inbox can be reused. Hide what the recipient has not asked for — often the document number or date of birth — with Redact PDF, which removes the text underneath instead of covering it. A watermark such as “For 12 Oak St rental application only” makes the copy much less useful anywhere else.