How to Scan Old Photos (Beginner's Guide)

TL;DR

Sort prints by priority and dust them before you scan.

Set up bright, indirect light and a matte surface to avoid glare.

Decide between a flatbed (highest quality) or a phone app (fastest).

Capture at 600+ DPI on scanners or fill the frame on mobile for crisp detail.

Related: digitize film with our slides & negatives guide.

Digitizing old family photos keeps fragile prints from fading and makes sharing memories effortless. Whether you have a desktop scanner or just your phone, you can build a reliable workflow in under an afternoon. This guide walks beginners through every phase—prepping brittle albums, creating a glare-free setup, capturing the scan, and backing up the files—so nothing gets lost in the process. We also highlight when to reach for the PhotoScanRestore demo versus a dedicated flatbed, helping you match effort to the importance of each print. By the end, you'll have a repeatable routine that turns dusty shoeboxes into a secure digital archive ready for sharing, restoration, and storytelling.

1) Triage and prep your photo stack

Start by grouping prints so the most important memories get scanned first. Pull albums or loose stacks into small batches, keeping originals supported so brittle emulsions do not crack. Handle every photo by the edges, and use a soft blower or lint-free cloth to remove surface dust. If a picture is stuck in an old magnetic album, leave it in place for now—forcing it loose can tear the image. Instead, plan to scan the entire page or photograph it directly inside the album.

2) Build a glare-free scanning station

Consistent lighting makes the difference between sharp scans and frustrating glare. Choose a table near a bright window or use two diffused lamps angled at 45 degrees toward the surface. Lay down a matte background such as white poster board to prevent reflections. Clean the scanner glass if you have one, and wipe your phone lens so dust does not soften the image. When you’re set up properly, you should see even illumination across the whole print without hotspots.

3) Pick the right capture workflow

Decide whether speed or ultimate quality matters most for each batch.

Smartphone + app: Perfect for quick archiving, in-album scans, or sharing with relatives right away. Apps guide you through glare reduction and auto-cropping.
Flatbed scanner: Ideal for heirloom prints, tiny snapshots, or anything you plan to reprint. You control DPI, color profiles, and file formats.

The U.S. National Archives digitization guide recommends balancing workflow with preservation goals: scan at the highest practical quality the first time so you never need to revisit aging originals.

4) Scan with your phone in minutes

Install a dedicated photo-scanning app (Google PhotoScan, Photomyne, or our upcoming PhotoScanRestore mobile experience) and position your phone directly above the print. Enable the in-app guidance to reduce glare—most tools prompt you to move the phone over four corners, stitching a glare-free composite. Fill the frame, tap to focus on faces, and capture. After each scan, review the auto-crop and adjust color or exposure until the digital copy matches the original. Upload every finished batch to cloud storage or your PhotoScanRestore waitlist account so nothing stays stranded on one device.

5) Use a flatbed for heirloom quality

For boxfuls of loose prints or high-value portraits, open your scanner software and choose “Photo” mode. Set resolution to 600 DPI (1200 DPI for tiny prints) and select a lossless color profile such as 24-bit color TIFF. Place photos face-down on the glass, leaving a small gap between multiple prints so the software can auto-detect each one. Preview the scan, adjust the crop box, then run the final capture. Save master files as TIFF for archiving, plus export JPEG copies for everyday use and restoration touch-ups.

6) File, label, and back up immediately

Create a consistent folder structure—perhaps by decade, event, or family branch—and rename files with helpful context (for example, 1958-lucia-graduation.jpg). Add notes in your photo manager or metadata fields while memories are fresh. Store at least two backups: one on an external drive and another in a trusted cloud service. Share highlights with relatives so extra copies live in multiple homes, and log new files in your preservation tracker or family history notes for quick reference.

Troubleshooting & pro tips

Persistent glare: Move light sources off-axis, raise the phone slightly, or place a polarizing sheet over lamps to diffuse reflections.
Silvered or textured prints: Shoot at a slight angle and use perspective correction in editing tools to square the image afterward.
Skewed scans: Enable alignment grids on your phone or use cardboard guides around prints on a scanner bed to keep edges straight.
Dust spots: Rescan after cleaning. Editing out debris takes far longer than wiping the glass and print beforehand.

What's next

Digitizing is just step one. Use our photo restoration guide to revive faded colors, or jump straight into the PhotoScanRestore demo to see AI enhancements on your new scans. When you're ready for streamlined capture, join the waitlist for the full PhotoScanRestore app and get notified as soon as high-speed batch scanning rolls out.

FAQs

Can I scan photos that are still in old albums?
Yes. If removing them risks damage, scan or photograph the entire album page, then crop each image digitally.

What DPI should I use when scanning prints?
Aim for 600 DPI for most photos and 1200 DPI for small prints or anything you plan to enlarge. Higher DPI preserves extra detail without harming the original.

Should I save scans as JPEG or TIFF?
Keep a TIFF master file for long-term preservation and export a JPEG copy for everyday sharing. TIFF retains full detail and is easier to restore later.

How do I keep scans organized?
Use descriptive file names, add tags or captions in your photo manager, and mirror the structure in backups so relatives can browse by event or year.

What if I notice fading after scanning?
Your digital copy is safe. Use tools in PhotoScanRestore or your preferred editor to boost contrast and color without touching the fragile print again.

Editor’s note: This guide is part of the Digitize Old Photos hub and pairs with our tutorials on restoration and preservation.