- Move photos away from heat, moisture and direct light.
- Use clean hands and hold prints by the edges.
- Replace damaging albums and materials.
- Record names and stories separately.
- Digitize the originals and maintain multiple copies.
Start with the room, not the box
Photographs last longer in a cool, dry and stable environment. An interior closet in the living area is usually safer than an attic, basement, garage or exterior wall. Avoid places with plumbing, rapid temperature changes, insects or direct sunlight.
Light causes irreversible fading. Display a duplicate and store the original in darkness. Rotate displayed copies if a photograph is especially important.
Handle photographs carefully
Wash and thoroughly dry your hands before handling ordinary prints, then touch only the edges. Gloves can reduce dexterity and catch on damaged surfaces; clean hands provide better control for most family photographs. Never eat or drink over the collection.
Do not use tape, glue, rubber bands, paper clips or sticky notes on originals. Avoid writing on the image. If identification on the back is necessary, use a soft graphite pencil very lightly near an edge, provided the surface accepts it without pressure.
Choose photo-safe storage
Use enclosures marketed as acid-free, lignin-free and suitable for photographs. Stable polyester, polypropylene and polyethylene sleeves allow viewing without touching the print. Paper envelopes can be better for fragile or flaking photographs because static from plastic may lift loose material.
Store similarly sized prints together in a sturdy archival box. Do not overfill it, but use spacers so photographs do not slump. Keep large photographs flat and supported.
Preserve the information around the image
Create a simple catalog with a unique number for each photograph. Record who appears, approximate date, location, event, photographer and who supplied the identification. Separate confirmed facts from guesses. A portrait with names is usually more valuable to a family than a perfect image of unknown people.
Interview older relatives while you can. Record the exact words they use and note the speaker and date. Link that information to the image filename or catalog number rather than relying on social-media captions.
Digitize, then back up
Digitization reduces how often the original must be handled, but it does not replace the original. The National Archives recommends keeping originals because digital files can fail or be lost.
Keep at least three copies of the digital collection: your working library, a local backup on a separate device, and a copy in another physical location or a reputable cloud service. Open a sample of files periodically and migrate the collection when storage devices or formats become obsolete.
See our step-by-step scanning guide for capture settings and file naming.
Restore copies while protecting historical evidence
Digital restoration makes damaged photographs easier to enjoy and share. Keep the untouched scan alongside the restored version, and label each clearly. AI restoration may reconstruct missing facial detail, background objects or color; treat the result as an interpretation when the original information is gone.
Upload a clean scan to repair fading, scratches and creases, while retaining your master file and physical original.
Restore a digital copy freeWhen to call a conservator
Seek professional help for photographs stuck to glass, wet or moldy collections, flaking images, valuable originals, cased photographs and prints that must be removed from an album. Isolate active mold from the rest of the collection and avoid brushing it indoors.