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How to Frame a Photo Like a Polaroid

Multiple ways to make photos look like Polaroid pictures

By Sue Chastain Sue Chastain Writer St. Petersburg College Sue Chastain is a former Lifewire writer and a graphics software authority with web design and print publishing credentials. She's also skilled in WordPress administration. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 2, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

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Expand Jump to a Section Add a Polaroid Frame to an Image With Tuxbi Add a Polaroid Frame to an Image on Your Phone Add a Polaroid Frame to an Image in GIMP What Are the Official Polaroid Frame Dimensions There are a few ways to make a photo look like a Polaroid picture. For example, you can import a Polaroid template into graphic editing software such as GIMP or Photoshop Elements, or you can use a web-based tool that adds Polaroid frames to images. There are also plenty of mobile apps that turn your photos into Polaroids. Instructions in this article apply to GIMP 2.10 for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

How to Add a Polaroid Frame to an Image With Tuxbi

Tuxbi is a web-based photo editing tool that provides hundreds of free borders and other graphical assets. To frame a photo to look like a Polaroid using Tuxbi: Go to Tuxbi.com and select Start Photo Editing. Select the image on your computer that you want to use and click or press Open. Select Add Effect. Scroll down to the Frames & Borders section and and select Polaroid. Enter a caption in the field under Caption and select Update. You can also add text to the image and make other adjustments using the toolbar at the top of the page. Select Save to download your new photo. There are other free photo editing tools on the web that offer similar types of borders. There are also free Polaroid templates that you can download and use in your own editing software.

Add a Polaroid Frame to an Image on Your Phone

If you have a photo on your phone or tablet that you want to look like a Polaroid, you can use an app such as InstaLab to add a border to your image: Download InstaLab for Android or iOS and launch it. Tap IMPORT in the bottom left corner of the app. Tap BORDERS and then select one of the Polaroid-like frames at the bottom of the screen. When you are satisfied with your selection, tap the down arrow in the top-right corner. Tap Save.

How to Add a Polaroid Frame to an Image in GIMP

Using a free graphics program such as GIMP gives you greater control over how your final image will look, but you should still use a premade Polaroid template. A Google search for free Polaroid templates returns pages of results, so pick whichever one you like. Websites like Vecteezy have a number of free and premium options. To frame a photo like a Polaroid using a template in GIMP: Open the Polaroid template in GIMP. Go to File > Open as Layers. Locate the image on your computer. Select it and click or press Open. Select your image in the Layers palette and drag it under the template layer. If the Layers palette isn't visible, select Window > Dockable Dialogs > Layers to bring it up. Click on your image and use the Scale tool to adjust the size so that it will fit in the Polaroid frame. Select the Move tool and drag the image into the frame. You may have to switch back and forth between the Scale and Move tools a few times before you get the positioning right. When you are satisfied with the effect, save your work as an XCF file for further editing or export it as a JPEG or another image format. You can use the same method to achieve a Polaroid effect in Photoshop and other graphics programs. You can also import your Polaroid template into a Word document.

What Are the Official Polaroid Frame Dimensions

If you plan to create your own Polaroid frame, keep in mind that there are official standards for Polaroid pictures. To be authentic, your frame should fit one the following specs:

SX70 Polaroid

Frame: 3.5 inches x 4.5 inchesPhoto: 3.125 inches x 3.125 inches

Spectra Polaroid

Frame: 4 inches x 4.125 inchesPhoto: 3.625 inches x 2.875 inches Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Make a Roblox Shirt 8 Best Free Photo Editing Apps 10 Best Free Photo Editing Programs How to Apply Rubber Stamp Effects in Photoshop Elements 8 The 4 Best Photo Editor Apps of 2022 The Best Mac Desktop Publishing Software of 2022 How to Make a Torn Paper Edge in GIMP How to Fit a Whole Picture on Instagram How to Create the Out of Bounds Effect in Photoshop How to Make a GIF in Photoshop Greeting Card Template and Instructions for Adobe Photoshop How to Make High-Resolution Images How to Use Canva Use Photoshop's Photomerge for More Than Panoramas How to Add a Border in Google Docs The 9 Best GIMP Plugins of 2022 Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies