On their website, Walgreens at least claims their photo service 'includes a FREE optional digital copy sent to your email ... in most of our 7,750 locations'
So maybe you were just unlucky to be in one of their branches that doesn't do email. Or the staff isn't yet aware of this option.
I tried to find information about CVS too, but unfortunately the relevant website is not available outside the US.
Answer from Berend on Stack ExchangeVideos
We want to renew our passports online, so we went to Walgreens to get the pictures taken and get a digital copy.
The process was great, we took the photos, received the two printed pictures (although we didn't need these).
But then when we downloaded the digital photos we were surprised, the digital photos were nowhere near the quality of the "cleaned up" printed photos. Asked the store people, and they explained that's how the system works and they can't manually pick the "cleaned up" photos to email.
I'm really surprised this is how it works, why doesn't Walgreens just send the "cleaned up" versions of the photos in email? Seems like it'll remove a lot of misunderstanding and confusion.
On their website, Walgreens at least claims their photo service 'includes a FREE optional digital copy sent to your email ... in most of our 7,750 locations'
So maybe you were just unlucky to be in one of their branches that doesn't do email. Or the staff isn't yet aware of this option.
I tried to find information about CVS too, but unfortunately the relevant website is not available outside the US.
I've never heard of an email option at any passport photos location in the US. If it exists, from my experience that would be an exception, not the rule. Even thumb drive is new, used to be a CD, or print only even.
Note: I don't have Walgreens anywhere near me, last I needed it I got it from Costco a couple of years ago.
Just an update from the comments:
Apparently it is a thing that's starting to become a norm in the US. The reason, probably, is that the US Department of State is running now a pilot where people can apply for passport renewals online, and would need digital photos for that. So I imagine while Walgreens the chain advertises it, Walgreens the staffers may not yet be aware or well trained for that. It's new.
As online applications for renewals of passports, driving licenses, ids, and whats not, become the norm in the US - this obviously will become a wide-spread service provided by every passport photos shop in the country. Hopefully soon.
I have a customer who has done their passport photo three times but has yet to receive the digital copy in their email. I even checked their email address in their actual email app. But they still have not received it. Is this a known issue or is this a my store issue?