Clean the surroundings, not the print
Place the photo on a clean, flat surface. Do not use household cleaner or water on an old print. If the surface is fragile, curled, or flaking, avoid pressing it flat and ask an archival professional for help.
Use soft, even light
Photograph the print near a bright window without direct sunlight. Turn off the flash, which can create glare and flatten facial detail. If the print is glossy, move the lights to the sides until reflections disappear.
Keep the iPhone parallel
Hold the camera directly above the print so all four edges stay parallel. Use the grid in the Camera settings as a guide. A small tripod or phone stand helps when you have many photos to capture.
Capture more than you need
Fill most of the frame but leave a narrow border around the print. This gives you room to straighten and crop without cutting into the original image. Tap the most important face to set focus before taking the photo.
Restore a separate copy
Keep the untouched capture as your reference. In the app, choose Photo Restoration, review the renewed detail, and save the result as a separate image. That makes it easy to compare changes and try again later.
Know when an edit is too strong
A useful restoration should make the person easier to see without changing who they are. Watch for invented facial edges, unnaturally smooth skin, or missing objects. Keep the original whenever a generated detail is uncertain.
Preserve the result
Use a descriptive filename or album, keep a backup, and record who appears in the photo. The identity and story behind a portrait are often more valuable than a perfectly repaired surface.