Printing Aadhaar cards correctly is one of the most common tasks at Common Service Centres across India. Whether you are a CSC operator, VLE, or just need to print your own Aadhaar, getting the dimensions and print quality right is essential. This guide covers everything you need to know about Aadhaar card printing.

Standard Aadhaar Card Dimensions

The standard Aadhaar card size is 85.6mm × 53.98mm — the same as a standard credit card or ATM card. When printed, both front and back sides should fit this dimension. For lamination, you may want to add a 2-3mm margin around each side.

DPI and Print Quality

For clear, readable prints, use at least 300 DPI (dots per inch). Lower DPI will cause the QR code on the Aadhaar card to become unreadable when scanned. The photo on the card and the text details must remain sharp — anything below 200 DPI risks being rejected during verification.

How to Crop Aadhaar for Printing

If you have downloaded your e-Aadhaar PDF or scanned the physical card, you need to crop the front and back separately. Use the Aadhaar Cropper tool to select the front and back regions. The tool automatically arranges multiple copies on A4 paper for efficient printing — typically 8-10 cards per A4 sheet.

Paper Recommendations

Use 170-200 GSM glossy photo paper for best results. Regular 80 GSM paper works for temporary copies but will not laminate well. For CSC operators doing bulk printing, 180 GSM matte paper offers good durability at a lower cost than glossy.

Common Printing Mistakes to Avoid

Do not resize the image after cropping — this changes the DPI and makes text blurry. Always print at "actual size" or 100% scale, never "fit to page". Make sure the QR code area is not wrinkled or smudged — verification scanners are sensitive. If printing from e-Aadhaar PDF, use the PDF-to-Image tool first for better crop control.

Printing Multiple Cards on One Sheet

CSC operators who print Aadhaar cards for customers can save paper by fitting multiple cards on a single A4 sheet. The Aadhaar Cropper tool does this automatically — select 4, 6, or 8 copies and the tool arranges them with proper spacing for cutting.