Restoration guide · Updated September 29, 2026
How to remove scratches from an old photo
Scratches are on the paper and show in the image. The restoration removes scratches from the digital copy; proper handling keeps you from making new ones.
Short answer
Scan the photo and restore the copy: the restoration fills the scratches from what is around them. Where a deep scratch erased a detail, the result is interpretation. To avoid new scratches, the National Archives recommends handling photographs with gloves and storing each one in a stable plastic sleeve larger than the photo, with no paper clips or staples that are not stainless steel.
Avoid
- Picking the photo up with bare fingers (the mark can stain it permanently)
- Paper clips and staples that are not stainless steel
- Sleeves made of unknown plastic or PVC
In this guide
What the restoration does with scratches
The restoration fills the scratches in the image from what is around them. On faces, it is set up to keep people's features.
A deep scratch that took a detail leaves interpretation in its place: check the preview before you pay.
And the paper? How to handle and store it
Handle with gloves
The National Archives recommends handling photographs with gloves, because fingerprints can stain a photo permanently. And wash your hands before touching paper, without applying lotion.
One sleeve for each photo
For a photo that is fragile, torn or handled a lot, the National Archives mentions L-shaped polyester sleeves, larger than the original.
Avoid what damages paper
The guide lists these materials to avoid: white glue and other unknown glues, adhesive tape that has already degraded, paper clips and staples that are not stainless steel, unknown plastics and PVC.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Does the restoration remove deep scratches?
It fills the scratches from what is around them. For a deep scratch that erased a detail, the result is interpretation. See the preview before you pay.
What about scratches that cross the face?
The restoration is set up to keep people's features, but the scratched stretch is filled in by interpretation. Check the preview.
How do I avoid new scratches?
Handle photographs with gloves and store each photo in a stable plastic sleeve larger than it. Avoid paper clips and staples that are not stainless steel, according to the National Archives.
Do the colors change?
The output is always in color. On a color photo, colors are recovered from what remains; on black and white, you get natural colors that fit the era.
How much does it cost to restore the image?
The first preview is free, with a watermark. To download without it, the entry pack costs US$2.99. Processing time varies.
References
The facts cited in this guide come from the pages below. Pages read directly on Sep 29, 2026.
- National Archives: Handling family papers and photographs (opens in a new tab) · page last reviewed by the institution on Sep 20, 2019
- National Archives: Storing family papers and photographs (opens in a new tab) · page last reviewed by the institution on Sep 18, 2025
Have a scratched photo to restore?
Scan it once, upload the copy and see the preview before you pay.
Restore this photoFree trial, no card needed. Pay only if you like it, from US$2.99.