Photo Scanning Tips for the Best Possible Results

A restoration is only as good as its scan. The most common reason an AI result looks soft isn’t the AI — it’s a lazy capture. These tips get the most into the file before any repair happens.

DPI: more than you think

Scan prints at 300 DPI minimum, 600 DPI for keepers. Upscaling can’t invent what a low-res scan left out. This underpins every guide here, from scanning to upscaling.

Kill glare and shadows

• Lay the print flat; a curved photo creates hotspots.
• Use diffuse light; avoid a single harsh lamp.
• Clean the glass and the print with a blower first.

Pick the right format

Save masters as TIFF or maximum-quality PNG (lossless). JPEG is fine only for sharing copies. Don’t let your scanner default to heavy JPEG compression.

Mistakes that waste effort

Photographing a photo with a phone (adds glare, distortion), scanning too small, or saving lossy files "just for now." Get the capture right once. Then restore via the complete guide.

FAQ

Is 600 DPI overkill? For a 4×6 you might print large, no — it future-proofs the file.

Flatbed or phone app? Flatbed wins on consistency; phone apps are a last resort for fragile items.

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