Free guide
What resolution should you scan old photos at?
The settings to use, what to name the files and how to keep them safe, in plain words.
By Wren & Co. · Last reviewed
The short answer
Scan old photo prints at 600 dpi if you can, and never below 300 dpi [1]. Keep the originals afterwards: a scan doesn’t replace them [2].
Then name each file clearly and keep three copies, on two kinds of storage, with one kept somewhere else [2].
Is 300 or 600 dpi better for old photos?
600 dpi captures twice the detail in each direction, which helps when you crop, zoom in on faces or print larger. The Library of Congress’s Veterans History Project asks for photo files of at least 300 ppi and suggests 600 [1]. (Scanners say dpi, image files say ppi; for a scan they mean the same thing.) The trade-off is file size: a 600 dpi scan has four times as many pixels.
| At 300 dpi | At 600 dpi | |
|---|---|---|
| Wallet photo (2.5 × 3.5 in) | 750 × 1,050 | 1,500 × 2,100 |
| Snapshot (3.5 × 5 in) | 1,050 × 1,500 | 2,100 × 3,000 |
| Standard print (4 × 6 in) | 1,200 × 1,800 | 2,400 × 3,600 |
| Large print (5 × 7 in) | 1,500 × 2,100 | 3,000 × 4,200 |
| Enlargement (8 × 10 in) | 2,400 × 3,000 | 4,800 × 6,000 |
How do you scan old photos with a scanner?
A flatbed scanner, including the one in many home printers, gives the best copies.
- Set the resolution to 600 dpi (300 at the very least) [1].
- Only scan photos that fit on the glass [2].
- Don’t use a sheet feeder for fragile, bent or valuable photos [2].
- Handle each print by its edges [5], and put it back in its sleeve when you’re done.
Can you scan old photos with a phone?
Yes, for quick copies to share or to put in a family book. Lay the photo flat by a window in soft daylight, out of direct sun. Hold the phone straight above it so the photo fills the screen, and check for glare. A flatbed scan is better for anything you want to keep long term or print large.
How should you name scanned photo files?
Use hyphens or underscores instead of spaces, and skip punctuation and symbols [2]. Put the year first so files sort in order, and add who, what, where and when [2].
For example: 1962_Pine-Lake_Ruth-June_P014.jpg. Descriptive names and tags for the people in each photo make them easy to find later [3].
How do you keep scanned photos safe?
Follow the 3-2-1 rule: three copies, on two different kinds of storage, with one copy kept somewhere else [2]. For example, your computer, an external drive, and a copy at a relative’s house or in an online storage service.
Check that you can open the files at least once a year, and copy them to new storage about every five years [3].
What should you do with the originals after scanning?
Keep them [2]. Use copies for display and for your family book, and store the originals in a box [4]. See how to label and store old photos, or how to organize a whole box.
What can you make with the scans?
A family storybook: one photo and its story on each page. See how to make a family history book.
Sources
Official guidance this page follows. Each link was checked on the date shown.
- Veterans History Project Field Kit. Library of Congress, American Folklife Center, September 2021. Checked October 8, 2026.
- Digitizing Family Papers and Photographs. U.S. National Archives, reviewed May 26, 2021. Checked October 8, 2026.
- Personal Archiving: Keeping Personal Digital Photographs. Library of Congress (digitalpreservation.gov), undated. Checked October 8, 2026.
- Displaying Family Papers and Photographs. U.S. National Archives, reviewed July 1, 2025. Checked October 8, 2026.
- Care, Handling, and Storage of Photographs. Library of Congress, Preservation, undated. Checked October 8, 2026.
