Digital photographs are vulnerable to damage just like other photographs. It is very hard to say how long digital photographs will last.

Technology changes rapidly and files quickly become obsolete. The hard drive of your computer and the disks or CD-ROMs you use to store digital photos can also be damaged.

Tips for preserving digital photos

  1. Back up your digital photos.
  2. Keep lots of copies.
  3. Label CD-ROMs and disks clearly and systematically.
  4. Store CD-ROMs and disks carefully. Have a dedicated space for the storage of your computer disks. Make sure this is away from light, heat, moisture and magnetic fields.
  5. Check files, CD-ROMs and disks regularly. This is the best way to know if there are any problems with the technology.
  6. Keep original copies of scanned photographs. The original photograph will probably still last a lot longer than the scanned copy.

More about preserving photographs

Contact Details
Contact Us National Preservation Office