On Pic-Time, web size is a smaller copy of each photo made for viewing and sharing, and high resolution is the full-size file. For anything you want to print, frame, or put in an album, you need high resolution. Here's the short version:
- Web size is for screens. It's good for texts and social posts. Pic-Time doesn't use web-size files for printing.
- Free web-size downloads can carry the watermark. High-resolution downloads don't, according to Pic-Time.
- Your photographer decides what you can download. If you don't see a high-res option, ask them.
Below: the differences side by side, how many pixels each print size needs, how to download on a computer or phone, and what to do when high-res isn't available.
Web size vs. high resolution at a glance
| Web size | High resolution | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A smaller copy Pic-Time makes automatically | The full-size file your photographer uploaded |
| Watermark | Free web-size downloads can include it | None |
| Printing | Not used for printing by Pic-Time | Used for prints and albums |
| Best for | Texts, social media, screens | Prints, frames, albums, wall art |
| Who decides | Your photographer | Your photographer |
When your photographer uploads a gallery, Pic-Time creates the web-size copy first so you can start browsing quickly. The high-resolution files upload in the background. That's why the gallery can look sharp on screen even though what you're seeing is the smaller copy.
How big is "web size"?
There's no single answer. Your photographer chooses how many pixels wide the web-size copy is, so it varies from gallery to gallery. The easiest way to know is to check a file you downloaded:
- Mac: Open the photo in Preview, then choose Tools > Show Inspector. Or select the file in Finder and choose File > Get Info.
- Windows: Right-click the file, choose Properties, then open the Details tab and look at Dimensions.
- iPhone: Open the photo in Photos and swipe up. Look for the pixel size in the info panel.
- Android: Open the photo in Google Photos and swipe up to see the details.
Then compare those numbers with the print size you want. Pic-Time recommends 300 pixels for every inch of print, and gives the example of 1,200 × 1,800 pixels for a 4×6. Here's the same math for other common sizes:
| Print size | Pixels needed at 300 per inch |
|---|---|
| 4×6 | 1,200 × 1,800 |
| 5×7 | 1,500 × 2,100 |
| 8×10 | 2,400 × 3,000 |
| 11×14 | 3,300 × 4,200 |
| 16×20 | 4,800 × 6,000 |
If your file is well below the size you need, the print will likely look soft or blurry. That's a sign you need the high-resolution version. Our free photo print size calculator can check a file for you.
How to download from Pic-Time
On a computer
- The whole gallery: Click the downward arrow in the upper right corner and choose Download Full Gallery. Then choose Download to Computer. You'll get a file called
photos.zip. Double-click it to open the folder of photos. - One photo: Hover over the photo, click the downward arrow, and choose the quality you want. Check the download terms, then click Continue.
- Several photos: Click the downward arrow in the upper right corner, choose Multiple Selection, pick your photos or a collection like Favorites, choose the quality, and download.
On a phone
- The whole gallery: Tap the menu in the upper left corner, choose Download Full Gallery, then Download to Mobile. Open the zip file in your Files app to save the photos to your library.
- One photo: Tap the photo, tap the downward arrow, and choose High-Res or Web-Size, if both are offered. Tap Download to Mobile, then tap and hold the photo and choose Add to Photos.
- Using your photographer's app? Stay in the app until the download finishes. Pic-Time says downloads pause if you leave the app.
If you bought the downloads
After you buy digital downloads from the gallery's store, Pic-Time emails you a download link. You can also open the gallery menu, choose Orders, find your order, and click Download Photos.
Why your web-size download has a watermark
According to Pic-Time, when a photographer turns on watermarks, they appear on photos in the gallery and shop, and on free web-sized downloads. They don't appear on high-resolution downloads or on printed photos.
So if your free download has a logo on it, nothing went wrong. That's how the gallery was set up. To get a clean copy, download the high-resolution version if it's included, buy it from the gallery store if it's for sale, or ask your photographer.
Can't see a high-resolution option?
Pic-Time gives photographers detailed control over downloads. Depending on their settings, they can:
- Offer web-size downloads only
- Sell high-resolution downloads instead of including them
- Limit the number of free high-resolution downloads
- Turn off downloads for certain parts of the gallery
- Give different options to the main client and to guests
Guests may see fewer options than the main client. That includes family members who got the link from the couple or parents. The quickest fix is usually a short message to the photographer:
Hi [photographer's name], I'm [your name] from the [session or event] gallery. I'd like to print a few photos. Could you let me know how I can get the high-resolution versions? Thanks!
Gallery more than a year old?
Pic-Time moves high-resolution photos to long-term storage a year after they're uploaded, and says retrieving them can take about 4 to 15 hours. If you're asking your photographer for high-res files from an older gallery, give them some time.
If you already have the rights to a watermarked copy
The high-resolution download is always the best option: full size, no watermark, true color. If you can get it, use it. Sometimes, though, the only copy you have is a watermarked one, like a web-size download from a photographer who has since retired. If you own the photo or have the photographer's permission to edit it, our Pic-Time watermark remover can clean it up. You can also try our photo proof watermark remover for galleries on other platforms.
For more background, see how photo proof galleries work, or what to do if your photographer has disappeared.
FAQ
Is a Pic-Time web-size download good enough to print?
Usually not, except at small sizes. Pic-Time doesn't use web-size files for printing in its own store. Check your file's pixel size and compare it with the table above. If it's well under the size you need, ask for the high-resolution version.
Do Pic-Time high-resolution downloads have a watermark?
No. According to Pic-Time, high-resolution downloads and printed photos don't carry the watermark, even when the photographer has watermarks turned on. Watermarks appear on gallery photos and free web-size downloads.
Why did my download come as a zip file?
When you download a full gallery or several photos at once, Pic-Time bundles them into one zip file, usually called photos.zip. Double-click it on a computer, or open it in the Files app on a phone, to get to the photos.
Can I get the high-res version if I already downloaded web size?
Possibly. Check the gallery's store for digital downloads, or ask your photographer. They control which sizes are available and can tell you whether the high-resolution files are included or for sale.
Sources
- Pic-Time Help Center, What is the best resolution for my images?, checked October 16, 2026
- Pic-Time Help Center, How do I apply a watermark to my photos?, checked October 16, 2026
- Pic-Time Help Center, How do I manage download permissions?, checked October 16, 2026
- Pic-Time Help Center, What are the steps to downloading photos (desktop)?, checked October 16, 2026
- Pic-Time Client Help Center, What are the steps to downloading photos (mobile)?, checked October 16, 2026
- Pic-Time Help Center, How can my client purchase and download custom high resolution photos?, checked October 16, 2026
- Pixel sizes for print are our own calculations based on Pic-Time's 300-pixels-per-inch recommendation.