What the clean-up does
- Whitens the paper: grey shadows and the paper colour become pure white; the ink keeps its colour.
- Crops the empty space around the signature, leaving a small margin, so the signature fills the image.
- Hits the size limit: the image is compressed (and only if needed, reduced) to fit the KB range.
If the photo has no clear ink on paper (for example a photo of a person), the clean-up leaves it unchanged.
Signature limits of common forms
| Form | Signature requirement | Preset |
|---|---|---|
| PAN (Protean) | 2 × 4.5 cm at 200 DPI, up to 10 KB | Open |
| SSC CGL 2026 | 10–20 KB, JPEG, about 6.0 × 2.0 cm (Annexure IV: 4.0 × 2.0 cm) | Open |
| Other exams and banks | See each notice | Size table with official sources |
PAN from Protean’s online application instructions; SSC from the SSC CGL 2026 notice; both read on 28 October 2026.
Tips for a signature that passes
- Sign with a black or dark blue pen on plain white paper; ballpoint lines that are too thin can break up when compressed.
- Photograph it in daylight, straight from above, filling most of the frame.
- Need it at an exact size in cm? Choose Dimensions → Print size, for example 4.5 × 2 cm at 200 DPI, with Fill exactly (add a border).