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Do you have stacks of photos or shelves of albums you want to preserve for your family? The Ancestry mobile app offers tools to help you digitize and enhance your pictures quickly, but it’s not without its quirks. Let’s walk through the features, common pitfalls, and tips for the best results.
Exploring the Ancestry Media Gallery
Once you open the Ancestry app, tap the “stacked images” icon to access your media gallery. Here, you’ll find a collection of uploaded and scanned images. For example, some of my pictures come from Ancestry’s yearbook collection. These images are automatically cropped, which can include parts of other people from the original page. Unfortunately, as of this writing, the app doesn’t allow manual cropping within the mobile gallery.
Using the Edit Features in the Ancestry Mobile App
To edit a photo, select it and tap “Edit” in the top right corner. The app provides three tools:
Restore: Smooths out the image and reduces fading. This is my favorite feature because it’s simple and effective.
Example: My dad’s cousin Anita’s photo went from a grainy, faded image to a clearer version with improved contrast and smoothness.
Colorize: Adds color to black-and-white photos. While interesting, I often find the results unrealistic. Still, it’s worth experimenting with to see if it suits your images.
Enhance: Combines the effects of restore and colorize. If you want both features applied simultaneously, this option can save time.
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Tips for Scanning Photos
The app’s scanning tool is in beta, but it’s quite powerful. Here’s how to get started:
Single Photos: Tap the green “Scan” button and follow the prompts. Make sure your photo is flat and well-lit to avoid glare or distortion.
Multiple Photos: Arrange several pictures on a flat surface and scan them in one shot. The app auto-detects, crops, and saves each photo individually. However, beware of issues like glare or curvature—flat, well-lit photos yield the best results.
Photos in Albums: Magnetic photo albums can be tricky. Shadows and glare are common, so experiment with camera angles and lighting. If the auto-crop feature cuts off parts of the photo, consider scanning each picture individually.
Deleting and Managing Scanned Photos
If a scan doesn’t turn out well, you can delete unwanted images by selecting them and tapping the trash icon. For better results, retry scanning with improved lighting and positioning.
Attaching Photos to Your Ancestry Tree
Here’s where the app falls short: you can’t directly attach gallery photos to a person’s profile. To do this:
Switch to the desktop version of Ancestry.
Open the Media Gallery, select the image, and click “Attach to Person.”
Type the person’s name, confirm, and the photo will appear in their profile.
Copyright Considerations for Published Photos
If you’re scanning images from a published book or genealogy, ensure you have copyright permission. Otherwise, reference the book in the source section of your family tree instead of uploading the images. Obtaining a copyright release can allow you to include those photos legally.
Final Thoughts
The Ancestry mobile app offers a convenient way to digitize, edit, and enhance your family’s photos. While some features could use improvement—like manual cropping and attaching photos directly to profiles—it’s still a great tool to get started. Share your experiences in the comments: which feature do you like best, and what are your tips for getting the best scans?
