Direct answer. Set Scale to 100% and uncheck Scale to Fit in the macOS print dialog, match the loaded paper to the Page, and use PrintExactly to set each Photo Frame and confirm the printable area before printing.

The 3-step method

  1. Set the Photo Frame dimensions in PrintExactly. Enter the Frame width and height in mm, cm, or inches so the layout reflects real physical size, not a fit-to-Page value.
  2. In the macOS print panel, set Scale to 100% and turn off Scale to Fit. Open the print dialog → Paper Handling. Set Scale to 100%, uncheck Scale to Fit, and confirm the loaded paper matches the document.
  3. Print with printable-area checks. PrintExactly warns if content lands outside the active Mac printer's printable area or if printer, paper, orientation, or printable margins change in the print panel. Resolve those warnings before printing.

Why a Mac print still drifts away from 100%

  • Scale to Fit overrides 100%. If Scale to Fit is on, macOS scales the photo to fill the paper even when Scale is set to 100%. Uncheck Scale to Fit first.
  • Borderless mode still applies 1–2% shift. Borderless prints scale slightly to push the image to the paper edge. Use bordered paper for true 100% output.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make sure my Mac prints at 100%?

In the macOS print dialog, set Scale to 100% and turn off Scale to Fit where available. Make sure the loaded paper matches the document page size and manually check any driver-specific scale or borderless controls.

What is the difference between 100% scale and Actual Size?

Both describe avoiding fit-to-page scaling, but an actual measured result also depends on matching paper, driver settings, borderless behavior, and printer tolerance.

Print a photo at actual size on Mac · Mac print at 100% checklist