How to Put the Front and Back of an ID Card in One PDF

By the PDFToolkitX team · Published October 25, 2026 · 5 min read

Online applications for banks, rentals, jobs and administrative services often ask for "a copy of your ID card, front and back, in one PDF". Here is how to create that file quickly, with readable photos and without exposing your document unnecessarily.

Step 1: Photograph both sides

Place the card on a dark, plain surface.
Use daylight or bright, even light, and turn off the flash, which creates glare on plastic cards.
Hold the phone directly above the card so it is not distorted.
Fill most of the frame with the card, keeping all four corners visible.
Zoom in on each photo to check that the text, numbers and photo are sharp.

Crop each photo to the edges of the card in your phone's photo editor.

Step 2: Create the PDF

Open Image to PDF.
Add the photo of the front first, then the back. Use the arrows to fix the order if needed.
Choose A4 as the page size and a Small margin, so the copy can be printed if the receiver needs to.
Click Create PDF.

The result is a two-page PDF: page 1 is the front, page 2 is the back. This is what most organizations expect when they ask for both sides "in one file".

What if both sides must be on the same page?

Some offices ask for both sides on a single page, as on a photocopy. Our tool places one image per page, so in that case combine the two photos into one image first, using a photo editor or a collage feature on your phone, then convert that single image to PDF. Alternatively, a photocopier can copy both sides onto one sheet, which you can then scan.

Adding the ID to other documents

If the application wants everything in one file, convert the ID first, then combine it with your other PDFs using Merge PDF. Put the documents in the order requested by the organization.

Fix a sideways page

If a side appears rotated in the PDF, open it in Rotate PDF, click the page and save.

Protecting your ID

ID copies are valuable to fraudsters, so handle them carefully:

Send copies only to organizations you trust, through their official website or app.
Use tools that do not upload your files. Our tools run in your browser; the photos stay on your device.
Delete photos you no longer need from your gallery and cloud backups.
Consider adding a note such as "Copy for [organization] only – [date]" across the image, if the organization accepts it. This makes misuse harder. Check first that it does not hide any information they need.

Check before submitting

Both sides included, in the right order.
All text and numbers readable when zoomed in.
No glare covering important details.
File size under the upload limit.
Card not expired.

Summary

Take two clear, flash-free photos, crop them, and convert them into one two-page PDF with Image to PDF. Combine with other documents if needed, and keep your ID copies private.