Why Restore Old Family Photos?
Every family has them - faded photos from decades past, capturing moments that can never be recreated:
- Grandparents in their youth
- Parents' wedding day
- Childhood memories
- Ancestors you never met
Time damages these precious images: fading, scratches, water damage, tears. But AI can now restore them.
What You'll Need
- Your old photos (physical or already scanned)
- A scanner or phone camera
- AI restoration tool (we'll use RevivePhoto)
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Digitize Your Photos
Option A: Flatbed Scanner (Best)
- Use 600 DPI minimum (1200 DPI for small photos)
- Save as TIFF or high-quality JPG
- Scan in color even for B&W photos
Option B: Phone Camera (Good)
- Use good, even lighting
- Shoot straight-on, not at an angle
- Use a scanning app for best results
Tips:
- Clean the photo gently with soft cloth
- Don't force bent photos flat - scan as-is
- Keep original safe after scanning
Step 2: Upload to RevivePhoto
- Go to revivephoto.app
- Upload your scanned image
- AI analyzes and restores automatically
Step 3: Review Results
The AI will:
- Remove scratches and spots
- Repair tears and missing areas
- Correct fading and color shifts
- Enhance clarity and detail
Review the restoration and download when satisfied.
Types of Damage AI Can Fix
Scratches and Spots
- Surface scratches disappear
- Dust spots removed
- Minor holes filled in
Fading
- Contrast restored
- Colors revived (or B&W improved)
- Lost details recovered
Tears and Creases
- Physical damage repaired
- Missing sections reconstructed
- Creases smoothed out
Water Damage
- Stains reduced or removed
- Warped areas can be challenging
- Results vary by severity
What to Expect
Excellent Results
- Minor to moderate damage
- Clear faces and subjects
- Good original quality
Good Results
- Significant damage
- Faded but visible subjects
- Multiple issues combined
Limited Results
- Severe damage (missing faces)
- Very low quality originals
- Heavily overexposed/underexposed
AI can't recreate what was never there, but it can enhance and repair surprisingly well.
Tips for Best Restoration
Before Scanning
- Handle photos by edges only
- Remove from sticky albums carefully
- Don't unfold creased photos by force
Scanning Settings
- Higher resolution = better results
- Keep automatic corrections OFF
- Capture the whole photo including edges
Multiple Attempts
- Try different scans if results vary
- Crop to different areas for problem spots
- Compare original and restored
Preserving Original Photos
After digitizing:
- Store originals in acid-free boxes
- Keep away from light and humidity
- Consider archival sleeves
- Store negatives separately
Sharing Restored Photos
Ideas for your restored photos:
- Create a digital family archive
- Print for photo albums or frames
- Make copies for family members
- Create a photo book as gift
Common Issues
Problem: Faces look unnatural after restoration
Solution: AI sometimes over-smooths. Try with less damage repair if available.
Problem: Colors look wrong
Solution: Old photos often had different color chemistry. Some color shift is normal.
Problem: Missing areas filled incorrectly
Solution: AI guesses at missing content. Major missing areas may need manual editing.
Conclusion
AI photo restoration gives old family photos new life. Images you thought were too damaged to salvage can often be recovered to share with new generations.
The key is getting a good quality scan and having realistic expectations - AI is powerful but not magic.