How to Scan Old Photos [2025 Updated]

Your photos are getting faded, torn, and damaged over time. To keep these memories longer, it is essential to scan old photos and store them digitally so that you can keep them forever without physical damage or loss, and also easily share. So, how to scan old photos for long-term preservation? This guide will detail various methods that will help you scan and convert old photos to digital easily.

Why Scan Old Pictures

As said previously, physical photos are easily damaged, such as caused by sunlight, humidity, tearing, material aging, etc. Once the photos are damaged, the memories may be lost forever if you don’t have backups. So, digitising old photos has become an efficient way to keep the photos safe. These digitised photo files are easy to backup, restore, and share with families and friends.

How to Scan Old Pictures on Phone

If you aren’t equipped with a traditional scanner, don’t worry. You can use other tools like a phone to scan your old photos. With the help of the photo scanning apps, all the processes are simple. Now, let’s discover some of the best ones. 

Google PhotoScan

Google PhotoScan is a user-friendly app that helps you scan old pictures using your phone and get high-quality digital copies. The app will automatically remove glare, correct the perspective, and crop your photos for a perfect result. Simply place your photo, take some points, and the app will do the rest. Scanned images are saved on your device directly, and you can organize them in Google Photos, such as editing, sharing, and backup. It is an easy method of preserving your memories.

Key Features:

• Glare removal
• Automatic cropping and perspective correction
• Integration with Google Photos for easy organization
• Ability to scan multiple photos in sequence

Compatibility: Available for both Android and iOS devices.

How to Use Google PhotoScan:

1. Download Google PhotoScan from Google Play or the App Store.
2. Launch the app. Put your photo in the frame.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to take several points around your photo to remove glare.
4. The app will automatically crop and enhance the photo. 
5. After that, you can organize and store your digitized photos securely in Google Photos.

Microsoft Lens

Microsoft Lens is a versatile photo scanning app that turns your mobile phone into a quality document and photo scanner. You can utilize it to capture high-quality scans of whiteboards, documents, and old photos. The app enhances the quality of scanned images by automatically cropping and correcting them, making it perfect for digitizing old memories and keeping your photos better organized.

Key Features:

• Automatic image enhancement and cropping
• Multi-mode scanning (whiteboard, document, photo)
• Optical character recognition (OCR) for detecting text
• Integration with OneDrive, OneNote, and other Microsoft apps
• Sharing options readily available

Compatibility: Available for Android and iOS devices.

How to Use:

1. Download and install Microsoft Lens.
2. Launch the app and select the “Photo” mode.
3. Place your photo in the frame and shoot.
4. The app will crop, straighten, and enhance the image automatically.
5. Save or share the scanned image to OneDrive, or OneNote, or save it to your device.

Dropbox App

The Dropbox App is primarily a cloud storage platform that allows you to upload files like music, photos, docs, etc. It also comes with a built-in scanning feature that allows you to directly scan your old photos and store the digital copies. Dropbox will store your old photos in your cloud account and make sure they are safe.

Key Features:

• Built-in photo scanning tool
• Automatic cloud storage backup
• Integration with other Dropbox features for file management
• Multi-device access

Compatibility: Available for Android and iOS devices.

How to Use:

1. Open the app and tap the “+” icon. 
2. Select “Scan” and position your photo next to your old photos properly.
3. Capture the old photos. Dropbox will automatically crop and correct the size to it.
4. The scanned photo will be saved to your Dropbox account. You can organize, access, or share it.

Photomyne app

Photomyne is a dedicated scanner app that stores more than just photos. Different from the traditional scanning equipment, it allows you to scan multiple old photos at one time. It also detects the edge, corrects the position, and presents you with the best quality while offering you the colorization feature.

Key Features:

• Batch scanning.
• AI-based correction and colorization.
• Slideshow and album creation.

Compatibility: Available for Android and iOS devices.

How to Use:

1. Download and install Photomyne from the app store.
2. Open the app and position your old photos within the frame.
3. Press on the camera button and the app will separate each photo and automatically crop, enhance, and color-correct these photos.
4. Click on the Save button, and you’re finished.

InstaScan

InstaScan is a powerful photo scan app available on both iOS and Android devices. It focuses on PDF scanning but also works great for photos and turns them into JPEG, PNG, etc, with its automatic correct scanning feature. It boosts an anti-shake tech that you can take your old photos with ease, with clarity. The automatically optimized file size lets you save space, and there are more features that you can apply to both your life and work.

Key Features:

• Anti-shake technology for capturing sharper images
• Perspective auto-correction to straighten scanned documents
• Multiple image effects for enhanced clarity and readability
• Automatic iCloud upload for secure storage and easy access
• Multi-page document scanning to merge multiple scans into one file.

Compatibility: Available on iOS and Android.

How to Use:

1. Open the app. Like using other tools, you need to take pictures of your old photos.
2. InstaScan will automatically crop and enhance it to the best quality.
3. Adjust brightness, contrast, or color if needed using the built-in tools.
4. Save the scanned photo to your device or share it directly from the app.

Tips for Digitizing Old Photos

Since you know about various photo scanning apps for scanning and storing your vintage pictures, now ensure that you achieve the best possible digital copies. No matter whether you choose an app or traditional scanning equipment, in the end, scanning alone is not enough; there’s some preparation and method involved that can make all the difference in the quality of your scans. Here are some tips.

1. Clean your photos: Lightly wipe smudges and dust off old photos using a soft cloth prior to scanning.
2. Utilize a neutral background: Place photos on a flat, neutral-colored surface to avoid distraction during the scan.
3. Use adequate light: Scan in a well-lit room to avoid shadows and enhance the sharpness of images.
4. Avoid glare: Tilt the photo slightly to prevent reflections.
5. Keep photos flat: Place photos down on a flat area or use a scanner lid to prevent warping.
6. Scan at high resolution: Resolution is a vital factor that will impact the quality of digital copies. Do use the high-resolution camera device. The specific resolution tips we will detail in the next section.
7. Rotate photos correctly: no matter whether you use a traditional scanner or a photo scanning app that has the auto-correction feature, in case that will reduce the resolution, it is better to place the old photo in the right way before scanning. 

Best Resolutions for Scanning Old Pictures

Pixel resolution for a photo is the key factor that will affect the quality and detail demonstration of your digitalized old photos. So, the higher the resolution is, the better quality you get. For different purposes, the resolution can vary, which doesn’t require you to take the highest resolution always. Here are some suggestions for proper resolution for your old photos.

1. 300 DPI (Standard Digital Copy): Ideal for general digital copies and web sharing. Produces a good quality scan with file sizes kept in check.
2. 600 DPI (Archival Quality): Best used for retouching vintage pictures or creating top-quality digital picture albums. Catches more detail for future potential editing.
3. 1200 DPI (Detailed Restoration and Enlargements): Suitable for very damaged photographs that require large-scale restoration or enlarging miniatures without loss of clarity.
4. 2400 DPI or higher (Professional Series): Great for high-definition printing, dramatic enlargements, or preserving ancient photos with utmost detail.

How to Restore Old Scanned Photos Online Free

If you have old photos that you want to digitize, but they are faded or scratched, they cannot be captured in the best quality. You can use an old photo restoration tool to bring them back to life before digitalization. Instead of manually editing them in complex software, AI solutions like AiPassportPhotos offer an effortless way to restore old scanned pictures online free with just a few clicks.

With cutting-edge AI technology, it can automatically remove scratches, fix tears, enhance clarity, and even add color to black-and-white images. It ensures high-quality restoration while keeping the process quick and straightforward without your manual operations. It is easy and free to use. Just upload your photo and let AI process it for you. 

Creative Ways to Use Scanned Old Photos

Preserving old memories does not stop with the scanning of your old photographs. Now that you have digitized them, there are lots of creative and meaningful ways to share and enjoy them. Some ideas are as follows:

1. Create digital photo albums or slideshows: Organize and present your scanned pictures in digital albums or interactive slideshows.
2. Print high-quality copies for framing or gift giving: Restore and print your valued memories as gifts for your relatives and friends.
3. Share memories with relatives on social media: Post and share photos on cloud storage, social media, or private family groups.
4. Use photos in personalized projects: Make personalized gifts like customized calendars, memory books, or canvas prints.
5. Make a genealogy record or family tree: Combine your old family photos with historical records to create a detailed family archive.
6. Make photos into home decor: Print out and frame older photos to provide your house with a nostalgic atmosphere.
7. Create a photo mosaic: Use your old photos to combine them into a mosaic, big picture for fun.
8. For educational purposes: You can use old photos to incorporate with lessons, like history, family heritages, etc.
9. For clothes design: You can print these old photos on T-shirts or other clothes like jackets as a kind of fashion element. 

FAQ

How do I scan a photo into a PDF?

You can use any of the photo scanner apps that we have introduced in this article to scan your photo into PDF, like Microsoft Lens, Google PhotoScan, or Dropbox. Just take pictures of them as you digitalize your old photos. These apps will automatically scan from your phone’s camera and save as a PDF. 

How do I scan a picture without a scanner?

If you don’t have a scanner, you can download a photo scanning app on your phone like Photomyne and InstaScan. You can use these apps to capture your old photos directly with their built-in camera and convert your old photos into digital image formats easily.

What is the best way to scan old photos?

The best way depends on your needs. If you don’t have a traditional scanner and like fast scanning with automatic correction, you can opt for the photo scanner app directly on your phone. But, if you want more high-quality scanning results, choosing a traditional scanner may be good, or you can select the Photo Scanning Service to get the best result. 

Conclusion

Knowing how to scan old pictures can keep your memories for a lifetime. You can use a traditional scanner or a phone scanning app to prevent damage and loss. All these apps are effective and easy to use. Just choose the right one based on your needs and get started today to safeguard your memories.