Photo Paper

Use photo paper in your printer for your own photographs and illustrations, scrapbooking, postcards, stickers and photo magnets. Available formats and weights are 10 × 15 cm (glossy 180 and 230 g/m², matt 140 g/m², glossy self-adhesive 135 g/m²), A4 (extra glossy 150 g/m², glossy 180 and 230 g/m²), A3 (glossy 135 and 230 g/m²) and magnetic photo paper. Before printing, check your printer manual to see what paper weight and thickness it can handle. For drawing and other paper projects, browse paper and pads.

What to use photo paper for

Photos for albums and walls

Print holiday snaps for a photo wall, photos for an album or a test print before ordering a large print. Let the print dry thoroughly before framing. Use a mount so it does not touch the glass, and hang it out of direct sunlight.

Pick: For photos to hold and put in an album, choose glossy 10 × 15 cm, 230 g/m²; for lots of quick photos, 180 g/m²; for 13 × 18 and 20 × 30 cm formats, choose glossy A4, 230 g/m². Find a frame in frames and mounts.

Print your own illustrations and artwork

Print smaller reproductions of your paintings and illustrations for a craft fair, postcards or a portfolio. The matt surface does not shine and looks closer to an original watercolour or drawing. Home inkjet printing is not the same as museum-quality pigment printing on art paper; print life depends on the ink, paper and display conditions.

Pick: For smaller prints of watercolours, illustrations and black-and-white work, choose matt 10 × 15 cm, 140 g/m²; for larger formats and vivid digital images, glossy A4 or A3, 230 g/m².

Scrapbooking, journals and planners

Stick travel photos into a scrapbook or travel journal, print photo strips for a bullet journal or make your own planner stickers.

Pick: For photos, choose glossy 10 × 15 cm or A4 cut into smaller pieces; for stickers, self-adhesive 135 g/m²; and for images you want to write on, matt 140 g/m². Find more supplies in scrapbooking.

Postcards, invitations and bookmarks

Stick a photograph on a blank folded card as a greeting, make a wedding or birthday invitation with a photo, create a thank-you card or make a bookmark.

Pick: For an insert in a card, choose glossy 10 × 15 cm, 230 g/m²; for flat cards, glossy A4, 230 g/m²; for invitations with text, matt 10 × 15 cm, 140 g/m².

Stickers, labels and photo magnets

Print labels for jars and storage boxes, name labels for school items, stickers for gift wrapping, photo magnets for the fridge and wedding announcements. Prints made with dye-based ink are sensitive to water, so cover kitchen labels with clear protective film or spray varnish. Magnets hold on steel, not aluminium; many stainless-steel fridge doors are not magnetic – test first with a magnet.

Pick: For stickers and labels, choose self-adhesive photo paper, 135 g/m²; for magnets, magnetic photo paper. For magnets made from existing photos, magnetic sheets and tape are suitable.

School, family and collages

Print photos for a school poster or family tree, or make a memory game by sticking two copies of each photo onto card. Choose matt paper for collages and mixed media, as a glossy surface repels many adhesives. Test the glue and varnish first, as water-based mediums can make the ink run. Photo transfers to wood or canvas using gel medium are usually made from laser prints or photocopies; results with photo paper are not guaranteed.

Pick: For school projects, choose glossy 10 × 15 cm, 180 g/m², or glossy A4, 150–180 g/m²; for quick sticking, self-adhesive; for collages, matt 140 g/m². Craft glues are also useful.

How to choose photo paper for your printer

How to print a photo on photo paper with a photo-lab look

Print quality depends mainly on choosing the right printer driver settings. Always make a test print before printing a whole batch.

You will need:

inkjet printer · Photo paper · printer driver (print settings) · printer manual

1. Choose the paper: glossy for vivid photographs, matt for illustrations and black-and-white work, and a higher weight if you want the print to look like a photo-lab print.
2. Check the printer manual for the maximum paper weight and thickness, and for the photo paper tray. Heavy papers often need a rear or manual feed.
3. Load the paper with the printable (lighter, smoother) side facing the printing side of the printer; the tray icon shows which way. With matt paper, where the sides look similar, follow the packaging instructions.
4. In the print dialogue, choose the paper type that matches the actual paper (glossy or matt photo paper); this setting controls how much ink the printer applies. Set the quality to high.
5. Set the paper size. When printing borderless, allow for the image to enlarge slightly and the edges to be cropped.
6. Choose only one colour-management option: either let the printer manage colours, or use the paper’s ICC profile in your editor and turn off colour management in the printer. Never use both.
7. Print a test first, ideally a small crop of the most important part of the image, such as skin tones.
8. Place the print face up on a clean, flat surface and do not touch it until it is dry.

How to make self-adhesive photo labels

Print on self-adhesive photo paper, let it dry completely and only then cut it out. Before printing, use ordinary paper to check where the designs will sit on the sheet.

You will need:

self-adhesive photo paper · inkjet printer · steel ruler · cutting mat · craft knife (snap-off blade) or scissors, and optionally a hole punch

1. Arrange the designs in your document with at least 3–5 mm between them for cutting.
2. Print a test layout on ordinary paper and place it against the self-adhesive photo paper. Check that the designs line up in the right places.
3. Load one sheet of self-adhesive photo paper and set the paper type to glossy photo paper, or follow the information on the packaging.
4. Print the designs and let them dry completely before touching them.
5. Cut them out with scissors or use a craft knife along a steel ruler on a cutting mat; keep your fingers flat on the ruler, away from the cutting edge. Rounded corners are less likely to peel up.
6. Peel off the backing paper and press the label onto a clean, dry, smooth surface, working from the centre out to the edges.
7. For labels you will handle often or that may come into contact with water, apply clear protective film; dye-based inks are sensitive to water.

How to make photo magnets for the fridge

Magnetic photo paper is much thicker than ordinary paper, so first check that your printer can handle it.

Tips for printing and working with photo paper

• Set the paper type in the driver to match the actual paper. The wrong setting can cause ink to run, streaks or dull colours.
• Use either the paper’s ICC profile or the printer’s colour management, never both at once; double colour management produces odd colours.
• Hold prints by the edges. Fingerprints on a glossy surface are permanent.
• Keep unused paper flat in its original packaging in a dry room so it does not curl or gather dust; suitable conditions are 40–60% humidity and 15–21 °C.
• If the paper curls, leave it flat under a weight in its packaging for a day. Do not use heat to flatten it.
• Before printing a whole batch, print test strips of the most important colours, such as skin tones.
• If you sell prints of your own work, pigment ink gives a more lasting result than dye-based ink; matt paper with pigment ink is a good choice for home printing.
• Glossy prints made with dye-based ink may fade or change colour more quickly in kitchens, bathrooms or near gas heaters. Display them behind glass.

Storing photo paper and caring for prints

Keep unused photo paper flat in its original packaging, in a dry place at room temperature; avoid damp cellars and hot attics. Store finished prints in albums or boxes, with ordinary paper between them. They benefit from steady humidity below 50% (ideally 30–40%) and a steady temperature; above 60% they deteriorate faster, and heat accelerates fading. Ozone and other gases in the air cause dye-based prints to fade; glass in a frame slows this down. Before framing, let the print air: interleave it with ordinary paper, change the paper after 24 hours and frame it after approximately 48 hours; if the interleaving paper is wavy, repeat the drying process.

Frequently asked questions

Can photo paper be used in a laser printer?

No. The coating on photo paper for inkjet printers may melt in the fuser and damage the printer. Use paper marked for laser printing in a laser printer.

Glossy or matt photo paper?

Glossy gives richer colours and deeper blacks, but reflects light and shows fingerprints. Matt does not shine, can be viewed from any angle and is suitable for illustrations, black-and-white work and writing with a pencil.

What does a photo paper weight of 180 g or 230 g mean?

Grams per square metre. A higher weight means thicker, stiffer paper; 230 g/m² has the look of a photo-lab print. Check the maximum weight your printer can handle.

Which side of photo paper should I print on?

Print on the coated side; it is smoother and lighter. Load the paper according to the icon on the printer tray. With matt paper, where the sides look similar, follow the packaging instructions.

How long does photo paper take to dry?

Microporous paper (also labelled “instant dry”) is almost immediately dry to the touch; paper with a swellable polymer coating takes longer. Wait 24–48 hours before framing, interleaving the print with ordinary paper in the meantime.

Why does the print look different from the screen?

The paper type set in the driver, colour management and an uncalibrated monitor all affect the result. Set the correct paper type and use only one colour-management option: an ICC profile or the printer.

Can I print a photo magnet at home?

Yes, on magnetic photo paper, if your printer has a straight paper path and can handle its thickness. Load one sheet at a time and follow the paper instructions.