You can prepare and upload both TNPSC files from a phone. Open the TNPSC photo resizer in Chrome or Safari, and nothing needs installing. The resizing itself is straightforward. The phone-specific snags come before and after it.
One distinction first: preparing the file on a phone is fine, but taking the photo on a phone isn't. The exam notices require a studio photograph and rule out mobile photos and selfies.
Getting the studio photo off WhatsApp
Most studios send the photo over WhatsApp. Ask them to send it as a document. A normal WhatsApp photo is recompressed and resized on the way, so you start with less detail than the studio captured.
Where the file ends up:
- Android: Downloads, or WhatsApp › Documents in your Files app
- iPhone: open the document in WhatsApp, then Share › Save to Files
iPhone HEIC photos
iPhones save photos as HEIC by default, and the TNPSC form only accepts JPG. Safari usually converts a gallery photo to JPEG when you pick it in the tool. If you get a message asking for JPG, PNG or WebP instead:
- pick the file from the Files app rather than Photos, or
- set Settings › Camera › Formats › Most Compatible so future photos save as JPEG.
Renaming IMG_1234.HEIC to .jpg doesn't convert it, and the form will still reject it.
Finding the downloaded file
After Prepare photo, tap Download Photograph.jpg. Where it goes:
- Android (Chrome): the download notification, or Files › Downloads
- iPhone (Safari): Files › Downloads. If an image preview opens instead, tap Share › Save to Files
When you upload, pick Photograph.jpg, not the original studio photo sitting next to it in your gallery. Choosing the original by mistake is the most common reason a phone upload fails.
Don't screenshot the preview
A screenshot takes your screen's dimensions, often over 1000 px wide, not 130 × 170 px. It may also land outside 20–50 KB. Always use the download button.
The signature works the same way on a phone: switch to Signature in the tool. Getting a clean photo of it is covered in the signature guide.