Preservation guide · Updated September 30, 2026
Digital album of old photos: how to organize and protect it
A digital album gathers the scanned photos with clear names and backup copies. The rules for names, labeling and copies below are from the National Archives (NARA).
Short answer
Scan the photos, label each file with who, what, where and when, and name the files with plain Latin letters (no accents) and numbers, with no spaces or symbols, using a hyphen or underscore in place of a space (e.g., grandma-wedding-1962). Keep three copies on two different media, with one of them off-site: that is NARA's 3-2-1 rule.
Avoid
- File names with spaces, accents or symbols
- Keeping a single copy of the files
- Leaving who is in the photo, the place and the date unlabeled
In this guide
Scan without forcing the paper
NARA says the original should fit entirely on the scanner surface and that sheet-fed scanners are not suitable for fragile papers. The guide to scanning with your phone covers what the official PhotoScan help advises.
Scanning also reduces handling of the original photos, which helps preserve them.
Name and label each file
NARA recommends file identifiers made of Latin-alphabet letters (no accents) and numbers, with no spaces, punctuation or symbols; in place of a space, use a hyphen or underscore. For example: grandma-wedding-1962.
It also advises adding basic metadata to the files: who, what, where and when, which helps you find and identify the photos later. To organize into folders, you can split by decade, event or person: that division is our suggestion.
Keep three copies
NARA's 3-2-1 rule asks for three copies, kept on two different media, with one of them off-site. For example (our example, not NARA's): your computer, an external drive and an online service.
This guide does not compare storage services or printed-album services.
Damaged photos: restore the digital copy
If a photo has stains, scratches, fading or tears, the restoration works on the digital copy and the original paper stays as it is. You can restore before the photo goes into the album or after.
If you want a printed album, print shops have their own prices and lead times. A good-quality digital copy is the starting point.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
How should I name the files in a digital album?
NARA recommends using Latin-alphabet letters (no accents) and numbers, and avoiding spaces, punctuation or symbols. Use a hyphen or underscore in place of a space, as in grandma-wedding-1962.
What should I note about each photo?
NARA advises adding basic metadata: who, what, where and when. That helps you find and identify the photos later.
How many copies of the files should I have?
By NARA's 3-2-1 rule: three copies, on two different media, with one copy off-site.
Which cloud service is best for the album?
NARA recommends no specific service, and this guide doesn't compare services. The rule asks for one off-site copy; an online service is one possible way.
Do I need to restore the photos before putting them in the album?
It's not required. If a photo is damaged, the restoration on the digital copy can be done before or after, and the original paper is not altered.
References
The facts cited in this guide come from the pages below. Pages read directly on Sep 30, 2026.
- National Archives: Digitizing family papers and photographs (opens in a new tab) · page last reviewed by the institution on May 26, 2021
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