The Ultimate Guide to Our Photo Prints
By Photobox on 23 March 2026
Not sure which photo prints to choose? This ultimate guide breaks down sizes, finishes and photo quality, so you can print photos online and celebrate the moments you love.
Printing photos online is one of the simplest ways to turn everyday moments into something meaningful. From holidays and family milestones to the small, in-between snaps that make you smile, photo printing brings your memories out of your phone and into your life. But when it comes to choosing photo prints – from sizes and finishes to all kinds of formats – it’s easy to wonder which options are right for you.
Whether you’re printing photos from your phone to frame, ordering photos online as a gift, or creating a display for your home, our ultimate guide to printing photos walks you through everything you need to know.
The Ultimate Guide to Printing Your Photos
Choosing the right photo size
Standard photo prints
6×4 standard photo prints are the classic choice – the kind you’ll recognise straight away from family photo albums. Perfect for framing, sending as postcards or creating your own family photo album (hello, nostalgia). If you want to order photos online, this size is the one for you.
Square photo prints
Think of your Instagram feed, but in real life. Square photo prints feel modern and creative, making them a great fit for portraits, detail shots and social-media-style photos. About the size of a coaster or a slice of toast, they’re especially popular for wall grids, gallery layouts and relaxed, aesthetic displays.
Larger photo prints
If you want your photos to make more of a statement, larger photo prints are a great option. They work beautifully for landscapes, group shots and those ‘wow’ moments you want to enjoy every day. Going all out with a big photo display? Poster prints are ideal if you’re looking to fill more wall space with your favourite images.
Top tip for ordering photos online: Visualise sizes at home first. A piece of paper cut to scale and temporarily fixed to the wall with tape or reusable tack can make choosing the right photo print size much easier before you order.
Photo print styles, finishes and paper explained
Once you’ve chosen your photo print size, it’s time to think about style and finish. This is where your print pictures really start to take shape, from clean and classic to more creative or nostalgic. Here’s a simple breakdown of the options.
Photo print styles
- Classic photo prints: A timeless rectangular format with a subtle white border.
- Square photo prints: Modern and versatile, square photo prints.
- Retro photo prints: Inspired by vintage instant photography. These ones are the only photo prints that let you add text in our editor, making them perfect for dates, locations or little customised memories you don’t want to forget.
Matte or gloss: which should you choose?
Choosing between matte and gloss is less about rules and more about how you want your photo prints to look and feel in real life.
Matte finish
Soft, subtle and glare-free. Matte photo prints suit minimalist styles and are a great choice for bright rooms or framed photos, where reflections from light or windows can be distracting.
Gloss finish
Shiny, vibrant and high contrast. Glossy prints really bring colours to life, making them especially popular for travel photos, outdoor shots and images with lots of detail.
Top photo printing tip: If you want to dive deeper into how different paper types and finishes affect your final prints, check out our Matte vs Glossy Photos guide.
Printing photos in black and white
If you’re drawn to a more timeless feel, black-and-white photo prints are always a good idea. In our editor, simply switch your images to black and white or sepia using the filter options before printing. It’s a simple way to give your photos a unique edge.
A quick note for high quality photo prints
Big prints need big quality. Spotted a small red warning triangle in the editor? That’s our way of letting you know your photo might be a little too small for the size you’ve chosen. Printing it larger could make it look blurry or pixelated, and nobody wants that.
For the best results, try selecting a smaller photo print size or switching to a higher-quality image if you can.
How to print photos from your phone
Printing photos from your phone is the quickest way to print your snaps. Just upload your images via our online editor or app, choose your photo print size, select a matte or gloss finish and decide whether you’d like to add a white border. That’s it.
Your camera roll doesn’t need to stay on your phone gathering proverbial dust. Printing photos online is an easy way to take your favourite moments beyond the screen.
Ideas for displaying your photo prints
Once your photo prints arrive, the fun part begins: deciding where they’re going to live. They’ve made it out of your camera roll, so now it’s time to give them a place you’ll actually see.
Create a photo wall
Square and standard photo prints work beautifully in both neat grids and more relaxed gallery layouts. If you’re looking for inspiration on layouts and spacing, our guide on how to create a photo wall is a great place to start.
Hang a memory string
Use fairy lights and pegs with retro or standard prints for a flexible display you can update whenever you like. For a simpler, more budget-friendly option, a ribbon or piece of string works just as well.
Frame it
Framing is one of the easiest ways to elevate your photo prints. Choose frames that complement the colours in your images to help them stand out. Our top photo frame tip? Mix and match frames from second-hand shops and local markets for a relaxed, gallery-style look on a budget.
Tell a story in a DIY scrap book
Mix different sizes and styles to capture a weekend away, a celebration or everyday moments. Level up your scrapbook with handwritten notes or dates, or even glueing in small mementos. It sprinkles your creation with a personal touch that makes the story feel truly yours.
Ready to start printing?
From choosing the right size to deciding between matte and gloss, there’s no need to overthink it when it comes to ordering photo prints online. Once you’ve chosen your size and finish, the rest falls into place.
After that, it’s just about picking your favourite moments. The ones you scroll past every week. The ones that deserve more than a double-tap. Print them, frame them, send them to your BFFS, pin them up and let them become part of your space.
Ready to get started? Explore our photo prints and bring your favourites to life.
