Many of us have old photographs in albums or closets, Memories that deserve to live on digitally Although we might not always want to look at our childhood photos (we were probably better looking back then), the good news is that today those photos can be easily digitized with [software name missing]. PhotoScan, an app of Google with which you can scan old photos In a simple way and without the hassle of scanners.
PhotoScan, a great invention of Google
Google releases quite a few apps and services. But PhotoScan is one of the really interesting ones, because it gives us the scan option old photographs that we have stored in albums or in closets. The best thing about it is the ease to convert those paper photographs to digital format, to preserve and share them without risk of losing them.
In addition to comfort, it integrates features designed to achieve a usable result from the first try: glare removal through guided captures, automatic cropping with edge detection, perspective correction to leave the photo rectangular and smart rotation so that it's in the correct orientation. If you link it with Google Photos, Your scans are secure, organized, and searchable. by people or places.
Digitizing photos
The key is that the process is simple and easy to execute. The PhotoScan app It is capable of performing the entire procedure automatically: focus the photograph on the paper with your mobile phone and the app takes the picture, applies adjustments and removes shine that appear through frames or glass.
If you use Google Photos, you can also start the scan from there: Create > Import from other sites > PhotoScanThis integration simplifies the flow so that scan, edit, and save without leaving the Google ecosystem.
- Open Google Photos and tap Create.
- In "Get photos", choose Import from other sites.
- Toca PhotoScan and place the mobile phone over the photo.
- Press the capture button; the first shot frames the entire image.
- Move the mobile until the central circle passes through each of the four points.
- When processing is complete, tap the thumbnail to rotate, adjust corners or delete if you need it.
Need speed? You can disable glare removal To avoid moving the phone across the points. You'll scan faster, although the app won't be able to suppress glare from lights or glass.
It rotates the photo, adapts it intelligently, and leaves us with a photo perfectly rectangular which is automatically stored in Google Photos without having to do anything else. Also, if you don't want to store it in Google PhotosYou can save it to your smartphone's gallery without any problem.
For all this, you will have to take up to five photos different types of shots: one general capture and four focusing on the points indicated by the app. The process is very intuitive, but it's advisable to prepare the environment: flat surfaceGood ambient lighting (preferably natural light), avoid spotlights that create glare and straighten the photo If it's curved. If your photo has a white border, scan it onto a white surface to improve the cropping. On entry-level phones, take a second to ensure the focus before moving the phone across the dots.
After scanning: Enhance, copy, and share
Once digitized, it's time to take your photos wherever you need themThe simplest way is to connect the mobile phone to the PC with a cable and transfer photos as files. If you prefer wireless, send them to yourself by Telegram o WhatsApp , the files (not as photos) to avoid compression, or use the Microsoft app "Your Phone/Phone Link" to access the gallery from Windows.
Since you're already in the Google ecosystem, activate backup in Google Photos This will allow you to keep your scans secure and accessible from any browser. You can also organize them into Google Drive and share folders with read-only permissions; this way you control who accesses and You avoid public links if you don't need them.
Do you want to go further and repair damaged photosThe website of MyHeritage It offers facial enhancement and color restoration with free registration. Upload your photo, wait a few seconds, and get a... before/after Interactive; works very well with individual portraits, although it can fail with groups and downloads with watermarkIt also has an option to Restore colors to reduce yellowing tones in aged copies.
On mobile, Remini It allows for improved sharpness and size and features a mode DeScratch to remove scratches. The free version processes a few photos and displays ads; in return, The results are downloaded without a watermarkAn efficient workflow is to run DeScratch first and then Sharpen for a cleaner restoration.
If your priority is the maximum file quality For long-term preservation, a dedicated flatbed scanner remains the gold standard. Even so, with good lighting and a capable mobile device, PhotoScan offers Excellent balance between speed and quality, enough for most family albums and perfect for sharing.
The important thing is to preserve those memories and always have them close at hand. With PhotoScan you can digitize, organize, improve and share Print your photos on paper in minutes, without special equipment, and with the peace of mind of keeping a secure copy in the cloud.
