How to Digitize Old Photos: Scan, Restore & Back Up

The best way to digitize old photos is a flatbed scanner at 300–600 DPI, or your phone camera in even light without flash; then save a high-quality copy and restore it. Cleaning up scratches, noise and faded color afterwards is often free with AI tools like imgmend.

Quick Facts
Best quality	Flatbed scanner, 300 DPI for viewing; 600 DPI if you plan to enlarge
Fastest	Phone camera in even, indirect light — no flash
After scanning	Repair scratches, reduce noise, colorize or upscale
Always	Keep the untouched scan and back it up in two places

Step 1: Prepare the Photos

• Handle prints by the edges. Brush off dust gently with a soft, dry brush or lint-free cloth; avoid liquids.
• Don't peel photos from albums if they resist — scan the page instead to avoid tearing.
• Note names, dates and places on a list or in file names as you go; context is easy to lose.

Step 2: Scan or Photograph Them

Option A: Flatbed scanner (best quality)

1. Clean the glass and place the photo face down, straight against the edge.
2. Scan at 300 DPI for normal viewing, or 600 DPI if you may enlarge the photo later.
3. Save as a high-quality format such as TIFF or a high-quality JPG.

Option B: Phone camera (fastest)

1. Lay the photo flat near a window, in bright, indirect light. Avoid flash, which causes glare on glossy prints.
2. Hold the phone parallel to the photo so edges stay straight, and tap to focus.
3. Photograph at the highest quality and crop only the photo's edges.

A photo-scanning app can reduce glare by combining several shots, but a plain camera photo in good light works for most prints.

Step 3: Restore the Scans

Problem	Fix
Scratches, creases, tears, dust	Repair scratches — paint over the damage
Grain, speckles, film noise	Denoise
Black-and-white photo	Colorize (optional)
Small or soft scan	Upscale

Do repairs on a copy, never the original scan. Images above roughly 2 megapixels are scaled down before AI processing, so a high-resolution scan may come back smaller; keep the original for archives. For more, see how to restore old photos free.

Step 4: Organize and Back Up

• Name files consistently, such as year-event-people, and keep the untouched original next to each restored copy.
• Follow the 3-2-1 rule: three copies, on two kinds of storage, with one copy off-site or in the cloud.
• Share restored copies with family so the photos aren't lost with a single device.

Frequently Asked Questions

What DPI should I scan old photos at?

300 DPI is enough for viewing and standard prints. Use 600 DPI if you may enlarge the photo or crop heavily.

Can I digitize photos with my phone?

Yes. Use bright, even, indirect light, no flash, and hold the phone parallel to the photo. It's faster than a scanner, though a flatbed scanner usually gives more even, sharper results.

How do I fix scratches and faded color after scanning?

Use a repair tool for scratches, a denoiser for grain, and a colorizer for black-and-white photos. imgmend offers all three free to try: 3 per day, with a small watermark on free downloads.

What file format should I save scans in?

TIFF or a high-quality JPG. Keep an untouched original, and make edits on copies.

Restore your scanned photos free →