How to Smile in Photos Without Squinting

7 min read · Glowmaxx

To smile in photos without squinting, dial the smile back to about 70 percent, lift your eyebrows a millimetre as you smile, and move so bright light isn't hitting your eyes head-on. Then shoot in burst mode and keep the frame just before your smile peaks. That is the whole trick for how to smile in photos without squinting, and it works for big grins and closed-mouth smiles alike.

If your eyes vanish every time you smile and you can't tell whether it's the light or your face, Glowmaxx scores the light in your daily selfie and hands you three moves for your weakest lever. Start my glow-up

Why big smiles close your eyes

A real, full smile doesn't only use your mouth. The muscles around your eyes squeeze too, and your cheeks rise. When your cheeks push up, they press on your lower lids from below. The harder you smile, the more the eyes narrow.

That's why people ask "why do my eyes look small when I smile?" Nothing is wrong. It's the same thing that makes a laugh look warm in real life. But a still photo freezes the peak of the squeeze, so what reads as joy in person can look like squinty eyes in photos.

Two other things make it worse:

Bright light. Sun or a strong lamp in your face makes you squint on top of the smile.
Holding the smile too long. After a few seconds, a posed smile tightens and the eyes close further. (If your eyes shut completely at the click, that is a blink, not a squint; see how to not blink in photos.)

So the fix is not "smile less." It's to control the squeeze, the light and the timing.

Soften the smile, keep the eyes

The single biggest change: stop smiling at full power. Aim for a relaxed, 70 percent smile.

How to smile without squinting: the 70 percent rule

Smile as big as you can in a mirror. Notice where your eyes close.
Relax it until your lower lids drop back and you can see more of the whites and iris.
Keep the corners of your mouth lifted. That is your photo smile.

It still looks happy, because the corners of the mouth carry most of the message. You just lose the part that shuts your eyes.

How to smile in photos without teeth

A closed-mouth smile often squints less, because the cheeks rise less. Press your lips together softly, push the corners up and out, and think of something mildly funny rather than hilarious. If you're wondering how to smile in pictures without showing teeth and still look warm, the answer is the eyes: keep them open and a little bright, and the smile reads as real.

Smile type	Squint risk	Best for
Full teeth grin	High	Candid laughs, group shots
Soft teeth smile (70%)	Medium	Most posed photos
Closed-mouth smile	Low	Selfies, profile pictures, bright sun
Neutral with smiling eyes	Very low	Serious or moody photos

Lift your brows a millimetre

This one feels strange, but it's the most useful habit for how to keep eyes open when smiling.

As you smile, raise your eyebrows the smallest amount you can. Not surprised-face high. Just enough that you feel your upper lids lift. It counters the cheek push from below, so your eyes stay open.

Practise it like this:

Look in a mirror and smile at 70 percent.
Lift your brows until you see a sliver more of your eye.
If your forehead wrinkles, you went too far. Back off halfway.

For a deeper version of this, including how to make your eyes look like they're smiling even when your mouth isn't, see our guide on how to smile with your eyes in photos.

Get bright light out of your eyes

Half of all squinting in photos is the light, not the smile.

Smiling in photos in bright sun

Turn so the sun is behind you or to the side. Your face will be a bit darker, but phones handle that well, and your eyes will open.
Find open shade. The edge of a building's shadow or under a tree gives soft, even light.
Close your eyes for a few seconds first. Open them right before the photo. You get a moment before they start squinting again.

Indoors

Face a window, not a bare bulb. Light from the side or front at eye level is gentle. Overhead light makes you narrow your eyes and throws shadows into the sockets, which makes the eyes look even smaller.

Not sure if your light is the problem or your smile is? Glowmaxx scores one selfie a day on five levers, including light and fit, and gives each a 1-10 with a one-line note. If light comes out lowest, your three moves for today target it, so you're not left guessing. Start my glow-up

How to smile in photos without a double chin

People often pull their chin back when they smile, especially in a big laugh. That folds the skin under the jaw.

Push your forehead slightly toward the camera, as if leaning in to hear someone.
Keep the chin level or a touch down, not tucked back.
Hold the camera at eye level or a little above.

This keeps the jawline clean while you smile. It also helps you avoid the other thing people search for: how to smile in photos without looking weird. A forward, level head looks engaged, not stiff.

Practice in burst mode

A single shot asks you to hit the perfect smile on command. Burst mode takes that pressure off.

Set up in good light, phone at eye level.
Start with a neutral face.
Hold the shutter (or the burst button) and let the smile grow from soft to full over about two seconds.
Stop, then scroll through the frames.

You'll see your smile build frame by frame. Somewhere in there is the version with a warm mouth and open eyes. Do this five times over a couple of days and you'll start to feel where that point is, which is the fastest way to learn how to smile in pictures naturally.

Pick the frame just before the peak

When you scroll a burst, you'll notice a pattern: the frame right before the biggest smile usually looks best. The mouth is already happy, but the cheeks haven't fully pushed the eyes shut.

Train your eye to pick that one:

Skip frames where the lower lids cover part of the iris.
Skip frames where the smile looks "held" and tense.
Keep the frame where the eyes are open and the corners of the mouth are lifted.

That habit is a big part of how to smile in photos without squinting for good. You stop hoping for luck and start choosing.

Your open-eyed smile starts with today's selfie

Take one selfie today in your usual spot. Glowmaxx scores it on five levers, including light and fit, adds up a glow score out of 100 and gives you three moves aimed at your lowest lever. It never scores your features, just the things you can change, and the photo is thrown away after scoring.

Start my glow-up

FAQ

Why do my eyes squint when I smile?

When you smile fully, your cheeks rise and press on your lower eyelids, and the muscles around your eyes squeeze. Bright light adds to it. Softening the smile and moving out of harsh light keeps your eyes more open.

How do I smile without my eyes disappearing?

Smile at about 70 percent, lift your eyebrows very slightly as you smile, and keep strong light out of your face. Use burst mode and keep the frame just before your smile peaks.

Is a closed-mouth smile or a teeth smile better for photos?

Neither is better; it depends on the photo. A closed-mouth smile tends to squint less and suits selfies and profile pictures, while a soft teeth smile looks great in group and candid shots. Try both in burst mode and compare.

How do I smile in pictures without looking fake?

Think of something genuinely funny just before the photo, and let the smile grow instead of switching it on. Fake smiles usually come from holding a smile too long, so take the photo within a second or two.

How can I stop squinting in photos in the sun?

Turn so the sun is behind you or to the side, or step into open shade. Close your eyes for a few seconds and open them right before the shutter so they're relaxed when the photo is taken.