How should you scan or photograph old photos for the best restoration?

AI restoration can only work with what's in the original image. The sharper the original and the closer it is to the photo itself, the less the AI has to guess, and the more reliable the result. So before restoring anything, the step most worth your time is digitizing the photo well.

Use a scanner if you can

A flatbed scanner gives even light and no perspective distortion, which makes it the best way to digitize old photos.

• Resolution: 600 dpi for common print sizes such as 3.5 × 5 in or 4 × 6 in; 1200 dpi for smaller photos such as passport-size prints; 300–400 dpi is enough for large prints.
• Color mode: Use color mode for color photos. Scanning black-and-white photos in color mode is also a good idea: it keeps the original tone of the paper and leaves more room for later adjustments.
• File format: Archive in a lossless format such as PNG or TIFF, and save a separate high-quality JPG for everyday sharing.
• Clean before scanning: Remove dust with a soft microfiber cloth or an air blower. Never wipe the photo surface with a damp cloth.

Five tips for photographing prints with a phone

1. Light: A bright spot near a window during the day works best. Avoid direct sunlight and don't use the flash.
2. Angle: Lay the photo flat and hold the phone parallel to it, shooting straight down so the photo doesn't turn into a trapezoid.
3. Glare: Glossy paper reflects easily. Adjust the angle slightly, or use a scanning app with glare removal.
4. Focus and stability: Tap the screen to focus on the photo, hold the phone steady with both hands or use a stand, then zoom in to check that it's sharp.
5. Framing: Let the photo fill as much of the frame as possible, but leave a small margin around it for cropping later.

Habits that make restoration worse

• Applying beauty effects, filters or "auto enhance" first: these wipe out real detail and mislead the AI about what counts as damage.
• Shooting through frame glass or album film: reflections and scratches on the glass get treated as problems with the photo itself.
• Using screenshots or images that have been forwarded many times: each share may compress the image again, so detail keeps disappearing.

What to do with the originals

Once they're digitized, put the originals back in an acid-free album or photo sleeves. Don't throw them away just because you have a digital copy. Back up the digital files using the 3-2-1 rule too: at least 3 copies, on 2 different types of storage, with 1 kept off-site.