😩Scanning photos: 600 DPI vs 1200 DPI—help, I was so confused!

[Jojobur]

Hey guys! I tried scanning my grandma’s old photos this weekend and totally froze at the DPI setting. 600? 1200? I had no clue which one to pick—so I did some digging and figured out the basics. Thought I’d share for anyone else stuck!

First, quick DPI 101: It’s “dots per inch”—more dots = more detail, but higher isn’t always better. Let’s break it down:

600 DPI: Your casual go-to Perfect for everyday stuff! Scanning text docs, 4x6/5x7 family prints, or saving pics to your phone. Pros? Super fast (no waiting around!) and small file sizes (my laptop storage thanked me). Cons? If you try to blow up a pic big, it might get fuzzy.

1200 DPI: For detail lovers (or pros) Use this if you’re scanning art, super old heirloom photos, or need large prints—it catches every little thing, like the texture of grandpa’s old jacket. But! It’s slow (scanned 3 photos and it took forever) and files are huge (had to delete old docs to make space). Total overkill for basic scans.

My lifesaver hack I scanned at 600 DPI and hated how blurry some pics were—then tried HitPaw FotorPea. One click to sharpen and fix fuzz, no re-scanning needed! Game-changer for newbies like me.

Bottom line: Home use = 600 DPI. Pro/art/big prints = 1200 DPI.