The pictures you see as you browse through Walmart Photo are low-resolution copies of your pictures. By displaying the low-resolution versions, the pictures load faster and you are able to browse more quickly.

If you want to print these pictures, you should download the high-resolution (sometimes called hi-res) files. You can pick individual photos from different albums and download them to your computer in minutes.

Photos are downloaded as JPEG files, a file format commonly used for digital photos and web graphics. The file names end with .jpg.

For film you developed at a Walmart store, the high-resolution photos are initially 1612x1024 pixels, sufficient for a high-quality 8 x 10 inch print. For pictures you uploaded, the resolution depends on the resolution settings of the camera when you took the photo.

The amount of time it takes to download high-resolution photos depends on the type of Internet connection you have and the size of the files you are downloading.

The following chart shows how long it would take a single photo to download at different Internet connection speeds:

Follow these steps to download high-resolution copies of your photos from the Digital Photo Center to your computer. Once you've downloaded your hi-res photos and unzipped the file on your computer, you can view them, edit them, and print them, using your own software and printer.

1. Click the Photos tab.
2. In the "Do More" menu on the right, click "Get High Res."
3. From the options that pop open, click "Download Photos."
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to select and download your photos.

Tip: Your browser may present the option of choosing where to save the file on your computer. Please note this file location for ease in finding it later.

Tip: If your browser doesn't open the .zip file automatically, you can use WinZip for Windows or StuffIt Expander for Macintosh.

Please note: You can download up to five pictures at a time. If you prefer, you can order Photo CDs with up to 512 MB of high-res pictures on each CD.

If you are not sure where the downloaded file was saved, you can use your computer's search feature to find the downloaded files.

Tip: By default, the name of the downloaded zip file begins with "Walmart_hires".

Downloaded files are included in a compressed zip file.

Typically you can open this file with your browser or Windows Explorer. If you are unable to open the zip file, you can use WinZip for Windows or StuffIt Expander for Macintosh.

Once you open the zip file, you can open the included JPEG picture files with your browser or the photo viewing or editing software of your choice.

Please note that these photos are larger than the versions you see in the Walmart Digital Photo Center, so they may appear larger than your browser window.