Follow these steps to ensure your photos are ready for high-quality digital scanning.
Important Shipping Reminder
Use a brand-new, unused shipping box. Reused boxes can weaken and break, putting your photos at risk of damage or loss.
- Remove all photos from albums, envelopes, and frames.
- Take off any staples, paper clips, or sticky notes.
- This service is for photos only. Negatives, slides, and other media are not accepted.
- Photos must be between 3" x 3" and 8" x 10".
- Separate Polaroid photos from the rest. Some thicker Polaroids may not be scannable.
- Sort photos by size. Example: Keep all 4x6 photos together, all 5x7 photos together, etc. If you do not organize them this way, you must order the "Scan in Order" service for an extra fee.
- If you want your photos scanned in a specific order, bundle them securely.
- We recommend using index cards with handwritten labels (e.g., "Summer Vacation 1990"). These will be scanned first in each group.
- Do not use sticky notes or loose paper. They will either be scanned by mistake or thrown away.
- This service removes the requirement to sort by size but does not remove the need to remove photos from albums and envelopes.
- Number the bundles in the top right corner if order matters. If no numbers are present, we will scan in random order. Only use numbers (e.g., 1, 2, 3) — no letters or combinations like "1A" or "2B."
- Photos thicker than modern Polaroids. Some old (1960s-era) Polaroids are too thick.
- Newspaper clippings, laminated photos, or odd-shaped images.
- Photos with glue or sticky residue.
- Curled photos. These may scan with a hazy or blurry effect.
- Photos upside down or face down will be scanned that way.
Helpful Tip
- Wipe each photo with a soft, lint-free cloth to remove dust for the best scan quality.
✅ Use a new box designed for shipping.
✅ Fill empty spaces with newspaper or packing paper to prevent movement.
✅ Use strong shipping tape to secure the box.
✅ Bundle photos in groups of 100-150 using rubber bands.
❌ Do not reuse an old box.
❌ Do not use a shoebox or other weak container.
❌ Do not use packing peanuts; they create static and stick to photos.
❌ Do not use weak tape like masking tape or Scotch tape.
❌ Do not place photos in plastic baggies; they won’t keep photos from shifting.
Important: If these guidelines are not followed, your order may be returned, and a handling fee (up to $25) plus return shipping will apply.
For more information, check out our Scanning FAQs.
- Photos sorted by size, packed tightly to prevent movement.
- All photos placed horizontally, right-side up.
- Bundled neatly with rubber bands.
- Photos not organized by size.
- Some photos facing different directions.
- Loose photos in Ziploc bags or envelopes.
- Bent or curled photos (these cannot be scanned properly).