How to store old photos
so they last.
Store old photos somewhere cool, dry, dark and steady, ideally at 21°C (70°F) or below with 30 to 50% relative humidity, in boxes and sleeves that have passed the Photographic Activity Test. Keep them out of lofts, garages and damp cellars, and away from outside walls, radiators and sunlight.
That advice comes from the Library of Congress and the national archives of the US and the UK, and most of it costs little. The damage it prevents is slow: fading, yellowing, curling, mould and prints stuck to album pages. Once it shows, there is little a family can do to undo it.
What temperature and humidity are best for old photos?
Temperature. 21°C (70°F) or below is the Library of Congress target. The Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) says black-and-white prints are fine between 15°C and 25°C, but never above 30°C.
Humidity. 30 to 50% relative humidity. CCI puts the optimum at 30 to 35% and the ceiling at 60%, and the US National Archives warns that below 15% can make photos brittle.
Steadiness. Humidity should move by less than 5% in any 24 hours, says the Library of Congress, and CCI advises against temperature swings of more than 4°C in a day.
The Library of Congress calls relative humidity “the single most important factor in preserving most photographic prints”. Damp air speeds up decay and feeds mould, The National Archives in the UK explains, and CCI notes that very dry air makes prints curl up tightly. A small digital hygrometer will show whether a cupboard stays in range all year.
Where in the house should you keep them?
The National Archives (UK) gives the reason: in a loft, a cellar or along the outside walls of a building, conditions are prone to extremes and fluctuations, and condensation can form. The US National Archives adds garages to the list and suggests keeping boxes on a shelf, so a leak or a flood doesn’t reach them. CCI warns against direct sunlight, and the Library of Congress against radiators, fireplaces and vents.
Which boxes, sleeves and albums are safe?
Look for the Photographic Activity Test (PAT), an international standard, ISO 18916. The Image Permanence Institute explains that it checks whether a material reacts with photographs over long contact, causing fading, silver mirroring, spots or yellowing. The Library of Congress says photo-safe storage must meet ISO 18902, which includes the PAT.
Boxes and folders. Lignin-free board that is acid-free or buffered and has passed the PAT, big enough for prints to lie flat or stand upright without bending (US National Archives). The Library of Virginia lists the ordinary shoebox among storage to avoid.
Plastic sleeves. Uncoated polyester, polyethylene or polypropylene (Library of Congress). Avoid PVC and any plastic you can’t identify (US National Archives). Skip plastic in a room that ever goes above 70% humidity, where photos can stick to it, and never use it for old acetate or nitrate negatives.
Paper envelopes. Photo-safe paper keeps light out and is easy to label in pencil, though you have to take the print out to see it (Library of Congress).
Albums. Many modern albums use photo-safe materials. Avoid coloured, “magnetic” or sticky self-adhesive pages (Library of Congress), and don’t overstuff them (US National Archives).
Two more habits help. Keep prints of the same size together and give fragile ones their own envelope or sleeve, as the Library of Virginia suggests. And store negatives apart from prints: The National Archives (UK) says film negatives can give off acidic gases as they age.
Should you take photos out of magnetic albums?
Usually, yes. Magnetic albums, with a sticky page under a clear plastic film, are on the US National Archives’ list of materials to avoid, and The National Archives (UK) says magnetic and self-adhesive albums cause deterioration.
If a print lifts away without resistance, move it to a PAT-tested sleeve or album. If it is stuck fast, don’t pull, peel or prise it off. The National Archives says photographs stuck to enclosures need specialist treatment because they are hard to separate without damage. Scan or photograph the whole page as it is, and ask a conservator about anything precious.
Older albums with paper pages and photo corners are a different case. The National Archives advises keeping old albums intact and storing them flat, preferably in an acid-free box, because the album itself can be a source of family history.
What should you remove, and what should you leave?
Take off paper clips, staples and rubber bands. The Library of Congress says not to use paper clips, rubber bands or other mechanical fasteners on prints, and the US National Archives pictures an old rubber band discoloured and stuck to a photograph.
Remove sticky notes, but leave old tape to an expert. The National Archives (UK) says sticky tape causes permanent damage to photographs, so ask a conservator before you try to lift it.
Handle prints by the edges with clean hands. The Library of Congress says to avoid touching the image area, and suggests clean nitrile gloves for negatives and for photos on metal or glass.
Don’t clean them yourself. The National Archives warns that home cleaning can cause serious and often irreversible damage, and advises against erasers, water and solvent-based cleaners.
Do colour photos and negatives need colder storage?
They benefit most from it. CCI says the dyes in colour photographs appear to be the only visual art materials that fade appreciably in the dark, and that faded colour photographs are thought to be impossible to restore chemically. The US National Archives says acetate negatives and colour negatives, slides and prints are vulnerable to fading and deterioration within decades at room temperature.
For colour photographs and film negatives, the Library of Congress says temperature is the controlling factor and recommends 4°C (40°F) or below. That is fridge territory, and the US National Archives says cold storage needs special packaging and steps, so don’t just put an album in the fridge. The realistic plan for most families is the coolest, steadiest room in the house and a good scan of the colour photos that matter. Our guide to how long photos last compares each format.
Why is a digital copy part of good storage?
Because no box protects against everything. The National Archives (UK) suggests having vulnerable or one-of-a-kind photos professionally photographed or digitised and displaying the copy, so the original can stay in the dark. Our guide to digitising old photos covers scanning at home.
Then look after the files. The Library of Congress recommends at least two copies in different places, checking them at least once a year, and making new copies every five years. While the photos are out, write down who is in them: our guide to labelling old photos shows how, without harming the print.
Good storage protects the print. Only people can keep the story.
How it helps.
A good box looks after the print, but the story behind it usually lives in one person’s memory. Once a photo is scanned, you can upload it to your family’s private Library on Ancestorii, add it to an album and invite relatives to give it a name, a date in plain words such as “Summer 1994”, what they remember and a voice note. Only the family members you invite can see it.
The Free plan needs no card and gives the family 1 GB of shared storage, with files up to 20 MB each; Premium is £3.99 a month per family for 100 GB. It is a place for the photos worth explaining, not a replacement for your backups, so keep your original scans too. Nothing is deleted if you move from Premium back to Free. To turn a box of prints into stories, see what to do with old family photos.
Questions about storing old photos.
Is it safe to keep old photos in the loft or garage?
Are plastic photo sleeves safe for old photos?
Should I take photos out of magnetic albums?
What is the Photographic Activity Test (PAT)?
Do colour photos fade even in a dark box?
Sources
- Library of Congress · Care, Handling, and Storage of Photographs (accessed October 2026)
- US National Archives · How to Preserve Family Archives: Storing Family Papers and Photographs (last reviewed September 2025)
- The National Archives (UK) · Caring for your photographs (accessed October 2026)
- Canadian Conservation Institute · Care of Black-and-White Photographic Prints (CCI Notes 16/4) (revised 2007)
- Canadian Conservation Institute · Care of Colour Photographic Materials (CCI Notes 16/5) (revised 2007)
- Image Permanence Institute · Photographic Activity Test (accessed October 2026)
- Library of Virginia · Oh Snap: Preserving Your Photographs (Virginia Archives Month zine) (2025)
- Library of Congress · Personal Archiving: Digital Photos (accessed October 2026)