Quick answer: to put a photo in a locket, pick a clear, well-lit photo, crop it to the locket’s shape (usually a small oval or circle), print it at a small size on thin photo paper, and trim it to fit. Choose a photo where the face fills the frame — detail is lost at locket size, so close-up beats full-body every time. Updated 4 July 2026.
A locket is only as good as the photo inside it. Because the opening is tiny — often 1–2 cm — the photo you choose matters more than with any other frame. Here’s how to prepare a photo for a locket so it looks sharp and sits flush. (New to lockets? Start with our complete photo-locket guide.)
How to prepare a photo for a locket
- Choose a close-up. Pick a photo where the face (or two faces) fills most of the frame. At locket size, anything zoomed-out disappears — a head-and-shoulders shot reads best.
- Check it’s sharp and well-lit. Blurry or dark photos get worse when shrunk. A bright, high-contrast image holds detail at small sizes.
- Crop to the locket’s shape. Most lockets are a small oval, circle or heart. Crop your photo to that shape so nothing important is cut off when it’s trimmed.
- Size and print it. Print at the locket’s interior dimensions on thin, matte photo paper (glossy can stick). If you’re printing at home, scale to the exact width first.
- Trim and fit. Cut just inside the crop line so the photo sits flush under the glass or frame without buckling.
Tips for a photo that lasts
- Use two photos for a double locket — a matching pair (e.g. two children) looks intentional.
- Black-and-white photos often read more clearly at tiny sizes than busy colour shots.
- Keep the original digital file — you may want to reprint years later.
Our personalised photo lockets are made to hold a real printed photo, and can be engraved on the back with a name or date. For a memorial keepsake, see our memorial locket guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do you put a photo in a locket?
Choose a clear close-up, crop it to the locket’s shape, print it small on thin photo paper, trim just inside the crop line, and fit it under the glass or frame so it sits flush.
What size photo fits in a locket?
Match the locket’s interior opening — usually about 1–2 cm across. Measure the inside of the frame and print your photo to that exact width before trimming.
What kind of photo works best in a locket?
A bright, sharp close-up where the face fills the frame. Zoomed-out or blurry photos lose all detail at locket size; black-and-white can read more clearly than busy colour.
Written by the makers at The Craft House Gift — a family leather & jewellery engraving workshop in Bulgaria, shipping personalised photo lockets across the EU and UK. Last updated: 4 July 2026.
