Renovo guide
How to scan old photos with your phone
You can use your phone camera to make a digital copy. Even lighting, a level camera and a focus check before putting the print away make a useful starting point.
Upload your prepared photoThe watermarked preview is free. A single-photo download without the watermark costs 5 PLN. No subscription.
Make a clear copy in six steps
Prepare the print and camera
Place the photo on a stable, flat surface. Do not force a fragile print flat or pull it out of an album. Clean the phone lens with a soft cloth; do not apply cleaning products to the photograph itself.
Arrange even lighting
Start near a window with diffused light, away from direct sunlight. Turn off the flash in the standard camera app. Move the print or light source if you see shiny patches or a shadow from the phone.
Hold the phone parallel
Position the lens above the center of the print. Turn on the camera grid and check that opposite edges remain parallel. Leave a small margin around the whole photograph to preserve faces and corners.
Focus and take several shots
Tap a face or a clear detail on the screen to focus. Keep the phone steady; a timer can reduce movement from pressing the shutter. Move closer instead of using digital zoom, provided the camera can still focus.
Inspect the file at a larger size
Open the image in your gallery and check eyes, clothing edges and writing. If movement or glare hides a detail, take another shot now. Keep the full frame before cropping a separate copy.
Save an original and a restoration copy
Keep the unedited file in its own folder. Prepare a JPG, PNG or WEBP for Renovo. If your phone saves HEIC, export a JPG copy; changing the file extension alone does not convert the image.
What to fix when the copy looks wrong
| What you see | What to do before restoration |
|---|---|
| A white patch on glossy paper | Move the light source and print. Check for reflections from windows, lamps or screens. Restoration cannot reliably recover details hidden by a reflection. |
| The photo narrows toward the top | Hold the camera parallel to the print. For a strongly distorted image, take another shot before applying perspective correction. |
| A sharp background but a blurred face | Focus on the photograph. Move the phone farther away if it is too close for the camera to focus. |
| A small, blocky image from a messaging app | Ask for the original file, for example as a document attachment. Saving a compressed image as PNG will not restore lost pixels. |
When to use a scanner
A phone is convenient for a single print or a photograph that is difficult to remove from an album. A flatbed scanner helps keep the setup consistent when copying many loose prints. The entire photograph should fit on the scanner glass.
Keep fragile and valuable photographs out of automatic feeders. Do not force the scanner lid down onto an album or an oversized print. A camera copy without pressure may be more suitable for delicate material.
Further guidance: National Archives: choosing a digitization method.
Keep the story that comes with the photograph
If the back has names, a place or a date, photograph that side separately. Give both files a matching name, such as album-03-front.jpg and album-03-back.jpg. Record what you know and label uncertain details as uncertain.
Store the source scan and the AI result separately. Keep a backup of the files in another location and retain the paper original. After restoration, compare faces and writing with the unedited copy.
Further guidance: Boston University Libraries: organizing and storing digital copies.
Before you start
Do I need a special scanning app?
You can start with your phone’s standard camera and gallery. A scanning app may help with cropping and perspective, but you still need even lighting, focus and a check of the exported image.
Should I capture a black-and-white print in black-and-white mode?
Keep the normal color setting and turn off filters. This preserves the tone of the paper and any discoloration in the source copy. Prepare a separate version for editing.
Can I upload a scanned PDF to Renovo?
The upload form accepts JPG, PNG and WEBP images. Export the individual photograph from your scanning software in one of those formats. Avoid a screenshot of the PDF if you can export the image at full quality.
Have a clear digital copy ready?
Save the original and upload a copy to Renovo. You can review a restoration and colorization preview before deciding whether to buy.
Upload your prepared photoThe watermarked preview is free. A single-photo download without the watermark costs 5 PLN. No subscription.