How to Scan Old Photos at Home for the Best Results

Why the scan matters so much

Every later step — restoration, colorization, printing — can only work with the detail your scan captures. A sharp, clean, high-resolution scan is the single biggest thing you can do to get a great result.

Scanner settings that matter

• Resolution: Scan at at least 600 DPI for standard prints, and 1200 DPI for small or very detailed ones. Higher resolution means more detail to restore and room to print larger later.
• Format: Save as a high-quality JPEG or, better, a lossless format like PNG or TIFF. Avoid low-quality JPEG settings.
• Color mode: Scan even black-and-white photos in *color* mode — it captures more tonal detail and the natural warmth of the paper.
• Turn off auto-correction. Sharpening, dust removal and auto-contrast in scanner software often do more harm than good. Capture a clean, neutral scan and let dedicated restoration handle the rest.

Practical tips

• Clean the scanner glass and the photo gently before you start — a soft dry brush is enough.
• Place the print straight; a crooked scan is harder to work with.
• Scan one photo at a time when quality matters. Batch-scanning several at once is faster but lower quality.

No scanner? Use your phone well

A phone can do a decent job if you're careful. Use soft, even daylight (near a window, not direct sun), avoid your own shadow and any glare, hold the phone parallel to the photo, and fill the frame. Take a few and keep the sharpest.

Then bring it to life

With a clean scan in hand, restoration and colorization have everything they need. Upload one and see the free preview — you'll immediately notice how much a good scan helps.