The best way to scan and digitize old photos

Your precious old photos won't last forever. If you want to preserve your memories from time, damage, and dust, you need to bring them into the digital age.

1. Use a scanner at home

Scanning old photos at home with a scanner is time-consuming, but it gives you complete control over how you organize, digitize, and archive your photos. Plus, reliving old memories is fun, making it the perfect excuse to spend a few afternoons relaxing.

The best scanners for digitizing photos

There are many different brands of photo scanners, all offering a wide range of prices and features.

If you want to convert your photos into digital copies at home, the best way to scan them is with a flatbed scanner. They are less likely to damage your photos, are compact, and usually only require a regular laptop. A basic option like the Canon CanoScan LiDE 300 is a great way to scan photos up to 8x10 without breaking the bank.

Scan negative film to digitize photos

If you have negatives to work with, you may wonder: Is it better to scan or photograph old photos?

The best way to scan and digitize old photos

If you can afford it, scan your negatives directly. The Epson Perfection V600 is a great option because it can digitize your negatives as well as your printed photos. The Kodak Scanza is a great portable option if you need a film scanner.

If you're willing to pay a premium and don't have a lot of time to scan photos, some scanners are designed to quickly scan stacks of 4x6 photos at very high quality.

The Epson FastFoto FF-680W is said to be one of the fastest photo scanners available today. It scans batches of 36 prints at a rate of one per second. It's also wireless, so you can save directly to cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox .

Another convenient and affordable option is the battery-powered Doxie Go SE. It scans your old photos onto an SD card and is about the size of a rolled-up magazine.

To scan photos from prints, use a minimum quality setting of 300 dpi (but consider increasing it to 600 dpi if you plan to enlarge the photo). Even if you're scanning black and white or sepia photos, scanning in color gives you more opportunities to edit your digital photos.

2. Using the app

If you just need a way to scan old photos to quickly digitize them, you may not want to invest in a photo scanner. You can use a dedicated app on your phone to scan instead.

Of course, you can always take a photo with your phone’s camera app. But then you run the risk of introducing shadows, distortions, and glare. A scanning app eliminates these features and guides you through the scanning process. It’s no surprise that one of the best ways to convert old photos to digital is Google’s PhotoScan app.

This free app takes multiple photos of each print to improve quality, remove glare, and correct any distortion. Best of all, it integrates seamlessly with all the great Google Photos tools you already know and love.

The best way to scan and digitize old photos

iScanner is a free scanning app available for both iOS and Android, with some minor Pro features added. While the app focuses on documents, you can also scan photos with the app. The app has straightening, cropping, and editing tools to get the perfect shot. Some of the app’s other features include object counters, AI text tools, and document converters.

  • Download iScanner for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

There are plenty of other alternatives to choose from, too. We recommend Photo Scanner Plus for iOS or iPadOS, which costs $3.99. Or check out Photomyne’s Photo Scan app for Android, which offers a free trial and is also highly rated.

If you don’t have old photos to scan and digitize, there are some great modern ways to get old film photos. Apps can simulate film effects on digital photos to save you the time of scanning photos but still give you all the vintage effects of having old photos to share online.

3. Use photo digitization services

If you don’t want to waste time, a photo digitizing service might be an option for you. However, not everyone is comfortable with this service.

One thing to consider is the privacy of the photos you send. You’ll be sending family photos to a stranger, often trusting them with some of your most precious memories. This stranger will be viewing every photo you send them, so be careful when choosing which photos to scan.

If you're comfortable sharing your images, this might be the best way to digitize a bunch of old photos at once.

When choosing a scanning service for your photos, consider local photo studios. While not all locations offer this service, this option can be more convenient and faster, but it will cost more. It may also be a better option if you only want to scan a few high-quality photos.

No matter how you digitize your photos, it will save space in your home, keep your memories safe, and bring back that feeling of nostalgia that only a long trip down memory lane can bring.

Sign up and earn $1000 a day ⋙

Leave a Comment

Minecraft is now available in its native version for PS5, free on PS4

Minecraft is now available in its native version for PS5, free on PS4

Minecraft, the wildly popular 3D blocky world exploration game owned by Microsoft, is now available on nearly every major gaming hardware platform — except the PlayStation 5.

What is the CORREL function in Excel?

What is the CORREL function in Excel?

Data can be overwhelming, but Excel's CORREL function helps you cut through the noise. Calculating the correlation coefficient is the secret weapon for uncovering hidden trends and making smarter decisions.

What happens if you lose your Google account?

What happens if you lose your Google account?

Losing access to your Google account can have serious consequences beyond not being able to send and receive email.

Google Launches AI Video Creation Feature on Gemini

Google Launches AI Video Creation Feature on Gemini

Google has just announced that users can now create videos using artificial intelligence through its Gemini chatbot and the recently launched experimental tool Whisk.

Instructions for creating your own AI character to chat with everyone

Instructions for creating your own AI character to chat with everyone

Meta AI Studio now allows you to create your own AI character to chat with people in the style of the character you created and designed yourself.

Russia imposes heavy fine on Google, fine amount is many times the worlds GDP

Russia imposes heavy fine on Google, fine amount is many times the worlds GDP

A huge fine has been handed down in a legal dispute between Google and Russia over the suspension of pro-Kremlin YouTube accounts.

Latest Code of Legendary Hero and how to enter

Latest Code of Legendary Hero and how to enter

The journey to explore the world of Three Kingdoms in Legend of the Hero will become easier with a series of attractive giftcodes. Let's explore now.

The first person to have ChatGPT implanted in the brain to help manipulate electronic devices

The first person to have ChatGPT implanted in the brain to help manipulate electronic devices

ChatGPT is being tested by Synchron, one of the pioneers of brain implant (BCI) chips to help patients manipulate electronic devices.

How AI Art Generators Enhance Your Everyday Photos

How AI Art Generators Enhance Your Everyday Photos

Want to give your everyday photos a new look? AI art tools can add a unique and creative touch that you might not achieve with manual editing.

5 Reasons Operas Aria AI Is Useful

5 Reasons Operas Aria AI Is Useful

Many people are not into AI because they want to read raw data and analyze it themselves. However, try Opera's Aria AI when you are stuck with some tedious task and need ideas. Here's why Opera's Aria AI is useful!

Latest Code for House of Flying Daggers and how to redeem the code

Latest Code for House of Flying Daggers and how to redeem the code

Code Thap Dien Mai Phuc gives players Kim Nguyen Bao, Hoan Khon Halo, Gold, Huyen Tinh, Huyen Tinh Chest

Black Myth: Wukong steals the record from Cyberpunk 2077

Black Myth: Wukong steals the record from Cyberpunk 2077

With a slew of mostly positive reviews, it's no surprise that Black Myth: Wukong has been breaking records on Steam.

Learn about error code 0xc00000e and how to fix it

Learn about error code 0xc00000e and how to fix it

The dreaded Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error code 0xc00000e, which often appears when starting Windows 10, can be confusing.

Play Together space, name the space Play Together

Play Together space, name the space Play Together

Many people use spaces in their Play Together names or use small underscores to create spaces between the letters you write in your name.

How to download Black Beacon PC

How to download Black Beacon PC

While it is entirely possible to experience Black Beacon on PC, the game is not officially optimized for this platform at this time.