10 Old Photo Restoration Tips: Preparation and Care
July 28, 20255 min readBy PhotoRestore Team
The difference between a good restoration and a great one is often decided before any AI is involved. These ten tips cover handling, scanning and storing your photos so the digital master is the best possible starting point.
Handling the Original
- •Wash and dry your hands before touching prints — skin oils damage emulsions
- •Use cotton gloves for valuable or fragile originals
- •Never use tape, glue or sticky notes on the face of a print
- •Store prints flat in acid-free sleeves, away from sunlight and humidity
Scanning Like a Pro
- •Scan at 600 DPI minimum; 1200 DPI for small or damaged prints
- •Clean the scanner glass with a lint-free cloth first
- •Keep the print flat; weight it if it is curled
- •Save the master as TIFF or PNG — JPEG is for sharing, not archiving
Before You Restore
Make a backup of the scan before any processing. Then work on a copy, never the master. On PhotoRestore, upload the cleanest scan you have — restoration is 5 points per photo and results are downloadable in full resolution.
After Restoring: Digital Care
- •Keep the original scan untouched as your master
- •Export final versions as high-quality JPEG or PNG
- •Back up to two places (local drive + cloud)
- •Name files with dates and subjects — future you will thank present you
Good restoration starts with good originals. Handle prints carefully, scan losslessly, back up before processing, and let AI do the heavy lifting once the source is clean.
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