How to Scan Old Photos for Restoration

A practical, reversible workflow

Before making a cleaner version, identify what the source actually contains. Typical a restoration-ready photo scan show a useful restoration scan captures the image, physical edges, and enough resolution for small defects without applying destructive automatic corrections. That distinction helps preserve character while targeting damage that blocks the story.

For most prints, 600 dpi is a sound working target; use 1200 dpi for tiny photographs and roughly 3200 dpi for 35mm film. Use this background to decide which imperfections are damage and which are authentic characteristics worth retaining.

Clean the scanner glass, not the photograph. Use a blower only when safe, keep fragile items flat without pressure, and photograph bound or reflective objects instead. Work from this capture rather than repeatedly rescanning or resaving a compressed file.

Save an untouched TIFF or PNG when practical, then export a high-quality JPEG working copy. Name files by album, page, and sequence before editing. Review the result both close up and at the size you expect to print, because defects have a different impact at each scale.

A clean, unprocessed capture is the most useful thing you can hand a restoration—it preserves the genuine grain and edges the AI needs to tell real detail from damage. Save a less aggressive alternate when family recognition or historical interpretation is important.

Choose a first test image that represents the real difficulty in the group, not merely the cleanest print. With a restoration-ready photo scan, that trial reveals whether the capture holds enough information and whether the proposed texture feels consistent. Apply what you learn selectively; related photographs can still need different judgment.

Return the physical source for a restoration-ready photo scan to stable storage only after checking that every capture opens correctly. Avoid attics, basements, direct sun, rubber bands, and pressure-sensitive tape. Digital repair creates access, but sensible temperature, humidity, and handling protect the evidence that future versions may need.

A useful handoff for a restoration-ready photo scan names the visible starting condition—a useful restoration scan captures the image, physical edges, and enough resolution for small defects without applying destructive automatic corrections. Save the raw capture, restored master, practical sharing copy, and identification notes together. That package lets another relative distinguish surviving evidence from the choices made in this version.

Once you have a clean scan, try the free preview to see a focused restoration on it before committing. A good capture lets AI target the real defects—scratches, fading, small tears—without guessing at texture it can't see. You review the draft against your master and pay only for the results you export. A careful scan is what turns a rough repair into one worth keeping.