Why the scan matters
Whatever you do to a photograph afterwards, you can only work with what the scan captured. A dull, low-resolution or crooked scan limits every later repair, while a clean, detailed one makes restoration easier and the result better. Scanning is also the moment when a fragile print is most likely to be damaged, so it deserves care.
This guide is for anyone digitising family prints on a home flatbed scanner. Settings vary between scanner models and software, so treat the numbers here as sensible starting points rather than fixed rules.
Before you scan: handling and preparation
- Wash and dry your hands, or wear clean cotton or nitrile gloves. Skin oils leave marks on prints.
- Hold prints by the edges. Avoid touching the image surface.
- Do not try to flatten, peel or uncurl fragile prints by force. Photos stuck to glass or album pages can tear. If a print is stuck or brittle, scan it as it is or ask a conservator.
- Clean the scanner glass with a lint-free cloth (a microfibre cloth is fine). Dust and smudges on the glass appear on every scan. Do not spray cleaner onto the glass; apply a little to the cloth.
- Remove surface dust from the print with a soft, clean brush or a blower. Do not wipe with a wet cloth.
Careful
Never try to clean the surface of a valuable or fragile print with liquids. If a photograph matters a great deal, such as a one-off historical image, a professional conservator or archive can advise.
Recommended scan settings
Libraries and archives publish detailed guidance on digitising photographs. The Library of Congress, for example, describes the principle that a scan should capture as much of the original as practical, and prefers uncompressed or lossless formats for preservation masters (see Sources). For a home scan, these settings are a good starting point:
| Setting | Suggestion | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 600 PPI for typical prints; 1200 PPI or more for very small prints | Gives enough pixels for enlarging and for retouching detail |
| Colour mode | Colour (24-bit RGB), even for black-and-white prints | Keeps tone variation and colour casts you may want to correct |
| File format | TIFF for the master; JPEG copies for sharing | Lossless master, small copies. See the format guide |
| Automatic corrections | Off where possible (auto colour restore, dust removal, sharpening) | Avoid baked-in changes you cannot undo |
To understand what resolution you need for a given print size, see the resolution and DPI guide.
Step by step: scanning a print
- Prepare the scanner.
Clean the glass, and close other programs. Warm the scanner up for a minute or two if its manual suggests it.
- Place the print face down.
Line it up against the corner marker, as straight as you can. Leave a small gap around it so you can crop later.
- Preview first.
Run a preview scan. Check that the print is straight, nothing is cut off and there are no marks from the glass.
- Choose the settings.
Set the resolution, colour mode and format from the table. Choose a folder and a naming scheme before you start.
- Scan, then zoom in.
Open the scan and zoom to 100 per cent. Look for glass dust, streaks, uneven lighting and focus. Rescan if you find any.
- Save the master untouched.
Keep this file exactly as the scanner produced it. Do your edits on a copy.
- Name and back up.
Use names that say what the photo is, for example "family-wedding-1978-master.tif", and keep a second copy somewhere else.
Troubleshooting common problems
- Vertical streaks or lines on every scan. Usually dust or a smudge on the scanner glass, or an issue inside the scanner. Clean the glass and rescan.
- Glare or a white sheen on glossy prints. Reflections from the print surface. Try a different angle, rescan with the lid closed fully, or scan in a darker room. Ask a professional if it persists.
- Colours look washed out or too dark. Turn off auto-correction and fix tone later in an editor, where you can control it.
- Moiré (wavy patterns) on printed or textured photos. Try a slightly different resolution, or a descreening option in your scanning software if it has one.
- Print curls and will not lie flat. Do not force it. Scan with the lid closed lightly, or photograph it carefully instead.
- Photo is in a frame or album. Remove only if it comes away easily. Otherwise scan or photograph through the page without risking damage.
Limits to be aware of
Scanning captures the print as it is now; it cannot restore faded information. Scanning negatives and slides needs different equipment and settings, which this guide does not cover. Photographing a print with a phone is possible for quick copies but rarely matches a scan for evenness and sharpness.
Key takeaways
- A good restoration starts with a good scan. Handle prints gently and clean the glass.
- 600 PPI, colour mode and a TIFF master are sensible home defaults.
- Turn off automatic corrections and fix tone later, on a copy.
- Zoom to 100 per cent and check every scan before moving on.
- Back up the master in a second place.
Ready to repair the scan? Continue with restoring old family photographs.