How to Scan Old Photos for the Best Resolution

Scanning old photographs is an excellent way to preserve memories and make them digitally accessible. However, knowing how to properly scan your photos is crucial for ensuring the best resolution and quality. When you digitize your old precious captured moments, you can more easily find them, share them, and prevent them from being lost, and digitizing your old photos means you will have access to them whenever and whenever you want. So, we bring you this article on how to scan old photos for the best resolution, where we will discuss best way to digitize old photos and some best photo scanner applications for Android.

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How to Scan Old Photos for the Best Resolution

Old photos tend to lose clarity and color with time, it can be tricky to get the best resolution. There are some things that you can do to increase the quality and resolution of your old photos when you digitize them. Although, a flatbed scanner is best way to digitize old photos. A flatbed scanner allows you to scan a photo on a flat surface without distortion. For even better quality, a high-end film scanner or drum scanner can be used, but these options can be very expensive. So, here are some tips to help you achieve the best resolution when scanning your old photos without using such expensive scanners.

• Make sure your photos are clean and free of dust or dirt before you begin scanning. A dirty photo will result in a low-quality scan. To gently remove any dirt or dust, use a soft, dry cloth or a can of compressed air.
• If you have color photographs, make sure to scan them in color. Color scans will yield more accurate and vivid images.
• After scanning your photos, you can use software to enhance them further. Adjust the brightness, contrast, and color balance of your images using programs like Adobe Photoshop or GIMP.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your old photographs are scanned at the highest possible resolution. This will help to preserve your memories and make them accessible for years to come. There is also some best photo scanner app for Android, let’s look at some of the best ones.

List of Best Photo Scanner Apps for Android

As you have learned some tips on how to scan old photos for the best resolution. There are several great photo scanner apps for Android. These apps let you quickly scan documents and photos with your phone’s camera, and they usually include features like automatic edge detection, image enhancement, and the ability to save scans in a variety of file formats.

Here is a list of best photo scanner app for Android:

1. Adobe Scan

The first on our list is the popular app, Adobe Scan. It is a mobile app that allows you to scan and convert notes, forms, documents, receipts, and images to PDF files. It has the following features:

• The app can detect the edges of a document and automatically adjust the perspective, as well as remove shadows and glare.
• When a document is scanned, it can be saved as a PDF or JPG and shared via email, cloud storage, or other apps.
• Adobe Scan also includes OCR (Optical Character Recognition), which can be used to search and edit the text in a scanned document.
• Furthermore, the Adobe Scan app allows you to export scanned documents to Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Sign for further editing and signing.

Also Read: Fix Adobe After Effects Error 16 in Windows 10

2. PhotoScan by Google

Next on the list is PhotoScan developed by the tech giant Google. PhotoScan is one of the best photo scanners you can use to scan your old photos. Some of its best features include:

• The app uses the user’s device’s camera to take multiple photos of a photo from various angles and then uses those images to create a high-resolution, glare-free scan of the original photo.
• The app can automatically detect and correct perspective distortion, as well as crop the image to the edges of the original photo. The photo can then be saved to the user’s device, uploaded to Google Photos, or shared via other apps after it has been scanned.
• PhotoScan also includes the ability to detect and correct glare and reflection on photos by including a glare reduction feature that takes multiple shots and blends them to create a glare-free image.

3. Photomyne

Photomyne is another mobile app that allows you to scan and digitize old photographs. It is a great alternative if you don’t like the previous two options. The app has the following features:

• Photomyne can detect and separate multiple photos in a single scan, making it simple to digitize an entire album at once.
• Photomyne uses advanced image processing algorithms to improve the quality of scanned photos, such as removing glare and correcting perspective distortion.
• Photo editing tools: To help improve the appearance of scanned photos, the app includes a number of editing tools such as cropping, color adjustment, and red-eye removal.
• Sharing and storage: Photomyne allows users to share scanned photos via social media or email, as well as store them in the cloud.

4. Doc Scanner

Doc Scanner is a mobile app that allows users to take pictures of documents, receipts, and other paper materials and convert them to digital format and is one of best way to digitize old photos. It has the following features:

• Cropping and edge detection are automated.
• Image enhancement and color correction
• Image rotation by itself
• Saving and organizing scanned documents
• Scanned documents can be exported in a variety of file formats, including PDF and JPG.
• Annotation and signature on a document
• Integration with the cloud to store and share scanned documents with other apps or services
• Scanning QR codes and barcodes.

Also Read: How to Reduce PDF File Size Without Losing Quality

5. Microsoft Lens

Microsoft Lens is a well-known photo scanner app for Android. The app allows the user to use their device’s camera to scan and recognize text, objects, and images. Any document can be quickly captured, and images can be converted to PDF, Word, or PowerPoint files. Microsoft Lens has the following key features:

• OCR (Optical Character Recognition) – This technology enables users to scan and copy text from images, documents, and signs.
• Scanning QR codes and barcodes – Allows users to scan and read QR codes and barcodes.
• Image recognition enables users to recognize objects and landmarks in photographs.
• Scan and save documents, business cards, and whiteboards as PDF or Microsoft Office files.
• Language translation enables users to translate text in images into different languages.
• AR support enables users to view augmented reality versions of scanned objects.

6. SwiftScan

Using SwiftScan you can scan documents, receipts, and other types of paper using your smartphone’s camera. SwiftScan is an excellent choice if you need a simple photo scanner app. But it does offer tons of features, some of its features include:

• Automatic edge detection and cropping to ensure accurate scans.
• The ability to save scans in PDF or JPG format.
• Automatic image enhancement to improve the quality of scans.
• The ability to share scans via email, cloud services, or social media.
• The ability to create and manage folders to organize scans.
• The ability to password-protect PDF files.

7. OKEN – CamScanner

OKEN – CamScanner will transform your device into a powerful portable scanner that allows users to scan documents, receipts, and other types of paper using their smartphone camera. Some of its features are:

• Automatic image enhancement: The app uses image processing algorithms to improve the clarity and legibility of scanned documents.
• CamScanner can recognize text in scanned documents and make it searchable, allowing you to quickly find specific words or phrases.
• File management: By tagging and grouping your scanned documents into folders, you can organize and manage them.
• Cloud synchronization: You can use CamScanner to upload and synchronize your scanned documents with services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive.
• PDF and image export: You can save scanned documents as PDFs or images to share via email, WhatsApp, or other apps.

Also Read: 19 Best Photo Recovery App for iPhone

8. Clear Scan

Clear Scan for its simple user interface makes it one of the best photo scanner apps. Clear Scanner can scan both images and documents. Even though it is free, it has an advanced feature that automatically detects the edges of photos. Some of its other features include:

• To help improve the quality of scanned images, the app includes several image enhancement tools, such as brightness and contrast adjustment.
• The app allows users to scan multiple pages and combine them into a single document to create multi-page PDFs.
• Users can share and export scanned documents via email or cloud services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive.
• The app can also scan QR codes and barcodes and provide the data stored in them.
• Clear Scan also includes optical character recognition (OCR) capabilities, which allow the app to recognize text within scanned images and convert it to editable text.

9. vFlat – Scan

If you are looking for how to scan old photos for the best resolution using Android photo scanning apps, then vFlat – Scan can be a good option that allows you to scan documents and convert them into PDF or JPG format. Its features include:

• Document edges are automatically detected and cropped.
• Settings for contrast, brightness, color correction, and image enhancement.
• The ability to upload scanned documents to cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox.
• Text extraction from scanned documents using optical character recognition (OCR).
• The ability to save scans in various resolutions.
• Crop and rotate scanned pages.
• Landscape and portrait scanning modes are supported.
• Sharing scanned documents via email or other apps

10. Genius Scan

Genius Scan is another free Android photo scanner app that can be used to scan documents. The app detects documents quickly and performs impressively when it comes to precise automatic cropping. Some of its other features include:

• The ability to save scans as PDFs or JPGs.
• The ability to scan multiple pages and create multi-page PDFs.
• Exporting scans to cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and Evernote.
• The ability to send scans via email or other applications.
• Text extraction from scans via optical character recognition (OCR) technology.
• An annotation tool built into the software that allows users to add notes, highlights, and signatures to their scans.
• A built-in search function that enables users to find and organize their scans using keywords.

Also Read: Fix Photoshop Dynamiclink Not Available in Windows 10

11. FilmBox by Photomyne

FilmBox is a mobile app developed by Photomyne that allows users to digitize their old film negatives and photographs by taking pictures of them with their smartphone camera. Photomyne offers some of the best photo scanner apps for both iOS and Android. That’s why we’ve included two of their best photo scanning apps on this list. FilmBox features include:

• Automatic photo detection and cropping.
• Color correction and enhancement.
• Sharing and backup options.
• Album creation and organization.
• Search function for photos by date, location, and people.
• An AI-based feature that can restore old, damaged photos.

12. Notebloc Scanner

NoteBloc is another popular option for the best photo scanner apps. You can use the app to take photos of your notes, old photos, and documents and convert them to digital documents. The app has the following features:

• Image enhancement technology that works automatically
• The app can recognize and extract text from images of notes, allowing them to be searched and edited.
• Users can categorize and organize their scans, making it easier to find specific notes later.
• Users can send their scanned files to others via email or social media using the app.
• Tag notes, protect specific notes with passwords, and support multiple languages.

13. OpenScan

OpenScan, as the name implies, is an open-source file scanner application. It’s simple and has an easy-to-use interface. Looking for how to scan old photos for the best resolution then OpenScan can be a good option. Some of its features are:

• The app can automatically improve the image’s quality, such as by adjusting the brightness and contrast.
• The app can convert the scanned image to several file formats, including PDF, JPG, and PNG.
• Text in scanned images can be recognized by the app and converted into editable text.
• The app allows the user to add annotations or edit the scanned document.
• The app is available in a variety of languages.

14. TurboScan

TurboScan is a full-featured Android scanner app available in both free and paid versions. The app uses advanced image processing algorithms to improve the quality of the scanned document, including automatic brightness and contrast adjustments. Some key features of the app include:

• Users can scan multiple pages of a document and the app will automatically create a PDF with all the pages.
• Users can quickly and easily upload scanned documents to cloud storage services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive.
• Users can change the names of their scanned files and choose where they are saved on their devices.
• Text recognition using OCR (optical character recognition).
• Email and print assistance
• Other features include image rotation and cropping before saving/sharing.

Also Read: 9 Best Document Scanner Apps for Android (2022)

15. Photo Scan – Quisquee

Photo Scan – Quisquee is a great app and one of the best way to digitize your old photos. It comes with a powerful photo scanner with an optimized photo scan algorithm, as well as image editing with a variety of frames, stickers, effects, enhancements, and other tools. Some key features include:

• Scan using 8 points multi-selection tool that also auto-corrects photo perspective after scanning.
• There is no limit to the number of photos that can be scanned by Photo Scan.
• The photo editor is a powerful and enhanced core component of Quisquee that is packed with a variety of tools and effects.
• Users can view all the edited and scanned photos at any time.
• Photo brightness, contrast, exposure, warmth, and saturation can all be adjusted.
• The user can use the draw tool to draw anything in the photo.
• Text can be written over the photo with a choice of color.

16. Smart Doc Scanner

Smart Doc Scanner transforms your phone into a smart scanner, allowing you to digitize your old photos and documents with a few taps. Some of its key features include:

• The interface is modern and user-friendly, allowing the user to scan quickly.
• Ability to scan images in both landscape and portrait perspectives.
• Batch scanning mode, which allows you to scan multiple pages.
• Magic mode filter that detects and preserves the pictures while enhancing the text areas.
• Advanced focusing technologies for clearer images.

17. PDF Scanner App: Document Scan

The name may be confusing if you want to just scan your photos. However, the app offers the feature to scan your old photos, documents, notes, etc. If you were searching for some alternatives to Adobe Scan and Google Photo Scan which are considered the best photo scanners, then PDF Scanner App: Document Scan can be a good alternative to them. Its key features include:

• Automatically detect and correct document edges and perspectives.
• Editing flexibility, including the ability to edit the file after it has been saved.
• Can automatically or manually improve scan quality.
• Arrange your documents in folders and subfolders by name and date.
• Create PDF files in various sizes such as Letter, Legal, A4, Postcard, Letter, Note, and so on.
• Quick search by document title.
• Import multiple images from the gallery and convert them into a single PDF file as a document.

Also read: Electronically Sign PDF Documents Without Printing And Scanning Them

18. Simple Scan

Simple Scan can be used to digitize your old photos quite easily with its easy-to-use interface and you can scan documents, photos, receipts, reports, and pretty much anything else. Some of its key features are:

• The capability of scanning multiple pages into a single document
• Adjustable brightness and contrast with automatic border detection and cropping
• Image enhancement to improve image resolution and quality
• Save scans to the device or to cloud storage services (such as Google Drive or Dropbox)
• Scans can be shared via email or other apps.
• Password protection for scanned files.

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There you go! These are the top photo scanner apps for Android. Most of the apps on our list are all-in-one scanners that can do everything you’ll ever need. So, it will be your matter of preference as to which one you find the most user-friendly. But, to our research we have the top three favorites you can definitely try, they are Adobe Scan, Photo Scan by Google, and Microsoft Lens. Therefore, after going through this article on how to scan old photos for the best resolution you must have learned how to scan your old photos in the best way possible, and this list of best scanning apps should surely make your task a lot easier. But if you have any queries or suggestions, you can leave a comment down below.