Why Did the Portal Reject My File?
Direct answer: in order of how often each cause strikes: (1) the file is over the limit in bytes even though it looks fine in KB — the 1,000-vs-1,024 counting trap; (2) the file is under a minimum — the portal uses a window, not a ceiling; (3) the pixel dimensions or aspect ratio are wrong, whatever the size; (4) the format is wrong (JPG/JPEG only is common); (5) the portal no longer accepts an upload for that document at all — it captures the photo live; (6) the file was padded to size and the portal's checker stripped or refused it. Work through the list in that order.
1 · Over the limit in bytes (the counting trap)
Your file manager and the portal are probably counting kilobytes differently: 1,024 bytes versus 1,000. At a 200 KB limit the gap is 4,800 bytes — invisible on your screen, fatal at the checker. The full explanation, with the table, is in how KB is counted. Fix: refit ~5% under the cap with the PDF tool or image tool.
2 · Under the minimum (windows reject both ways)
A modern phone export can be too efficient. If the portal states a range — RRB signatures are 30–49 KB, for example — a 17 KB file fails. Fix: use window mode, or the increase file size tool, which grows the file honestly and discloses any padding.
3 · Wrong dimensions
Size is only half the spec. IBPS wants 200 × 230 px photos and 140 × 60 px signatures; DS-160 wants a square between 600 × 600 and 1200 × 1200. A perfectly-sized file at the wrong dimensions is still a rejection. Fix: the photo & signature resizer sets dimensions and window together.
4 · Wrong format
PNG screenshots and HEIC iPhone photos are the usual casualties. Several portals accept JPG/JPEG only — RRB's signature spec says so explicitly. Fix: any KBExact tool can output JPEG; HEIC is converted on the way in.
5 · There is no upload (live capture)
The newest cause, and the one most likely to confuse: in their current cycles, SSC and RRB do not accept a photograph upload at all — the application captures your photo live, and photographing an existing photo is expressly not allowed. If the form seems to have "no photo upload button", that is why. Only the signature remains a file.
6 · Padded files
If a previous tool silently stuffed your file with filler data to reach a minimum, some portals detect and reject exactly that. KBExact's rule: genuine growth first (quality, dimensions, lossless), padding only as a disclosed last resort — and the report always tells you which method your file used, so you never walk into this rejection blind.
Questions
The portal says my file is too large, but my phone says it is under the limit. Who is right?
Both — they are using different rulers. Your phone counts 1 KB as 1,024 bytes; the portal likely counts 1,000. Refit the file about 5% under the stated limit and the disagreement disappears.
Can a file be rejected for being too small?
Yes. Portals with a size window (a minimum and a maximum) reject files under the minimum just as firmly. Exam signature windows and some government photo services work this way.
The portal rejected my photo but the size is right. What else?
Dimensions (exact pixel width and height), format (some portals accept JPG/JPEG only), aspect ratio, and — increasingly — the fact that the portal does not accept a photo upload at all and captures the photo live instead. SSC and RRB both moved to live capture in their current cycles.