How to Scan Photos with Your iPhone (Sharp, Glare-Free Results)

Your iPhone can scan old photos well enough for restoration, sharing and most prints. The difference between a mediocre capture and a great one isn't the phone; it's light, angle and steadiness. Here's a setup that works.

The setup

• Location: a table near a window, with soft daylight. Avoid direct sun and overhead lamps.
• Background: a dark, matte cloth or black card. It reduces reflections and makes edges easy to crop.
• Support: a phone stand, tripod with a phone mount, or a stack of books so the phone sits directly above the photo.
• Clean lens: wipe it with a soft cloth. A fingerprint smudge makes everything hazy.

Taking the shot

1. Place the photo flat in the center of the cloth.
2. Hold the phone parallel to the photo. If the edges look like a trapezoid, tilt until they're a rectangle. Turn on the grid in Settings > Camera to help.
3. Choose the lens: use 1× for normal prints, 2× or 3× for small prints so you can stay far enough away to focus and avoid distortion.
4. Fill the frame, leaving a small border.
5. Tap to focus on the most important face. Hold your finger to lock focus and exposure (AE/AF Lock).
6. Lower exposure slightly by sliding the sun icon down if whites look blown out.
7. Flash off.
8. Use the timer or volume button to avoid shaking the phone.

Glare on glossy prints

Glossy prints reflect light sources. Tips:

• Turn off ceiling lights and let light come from the side.
• Tilt the photo very slightly if a reflection stays, then straighten in editing.
• Put a black card around the phone so the phone itself isn't reflected.

More: photographing prints without glare.

Built-in tools

• Notes app document scanner: detects edges and flattens perspective, but applies document-style processing that's not ideal for photos.
• Live Text in Photos can read handwritten notes on the backs of photos.
• Restoration apps: Refixo has an in-app camera, so you can snap the print and restore it straight away.

Scanning a whole album

Set up once and work page by page:

1. Mark the phone and photo positions with tape.
2. Capture each photo or each page in the same light.
3. Capture backs with writing.
4. Create an album in Photos for each physical album.

See digitizing photo albums fast.

After capture

• Crop and straighten in Photos.
• Restore damaged photos (see restoring old photos on iPhone).
• Back up (see backing up family photos).

Frequently asked questions

Is the iPhone camera good enough to scan photos?

Yes. With good light and a steady, parallel setup, iPhone captures are excellent for family prints.

Which iPhone lens is best for scanning photos?

1× for standard prints; 2× or 3× for small prints to avoid focus issues and distortion.

Should I use HDR or Night mode?

Usually not needed in good daylight. Night mode can blur if the phone moves.

Should I use the Notes scanner for photos?

It's convenient but optimized for documents. The camera app or a photo-scanning app usually gives more natural results.