Scan old printed photos with your phone

Turn shoeboxes of prints into digital photos you can share and back up, using Google's free PhotoScan app or a scanner.

⏱ About 15 minutes · 4 steps · ▶ 1:02 video
What you'll need
  • Your printed photos
  • A phone (or a flatbed scanner)
  • Good, even light
  • About 15 minutes

  1. Get PhotoScan

    Install PhotoScan by Google Photos from the App Store or Google Play. It reduces glare, finds the edges and straightens each photo. It may not install on some newer Android phones. If not, use a scanner (step 4).

  2. Scan a photo

    Lay the photo flat on a dark surface, line it up in the frame and follow the dots on screen. The app takes several shots and combines them to remove glare.

  3. Save and back up

    Scans can be saved to Google Photos, so they're backed up with your other photos. Add a date or caption while you still remember who's in them.

  4. Using a flatbed scanner instead

    For the best quality, scan on a printer's glass (see Scan a document) and save as JPG at a higher resolution.

    💡 Tip: Clean the scanner glass and the photo gently with a soft, dry cloth first.
🎉 All done!

Next: Get all your photos into one place. Menu names vary by app and software version. These steps were checked against official help pages in October 2026.

Related game: AI or Not?. Related explainer: Sharing family photos: shared albums made simple .

Official help pages

Steps checked against these pages in October 2026. If a button looks different, look for a similar label.