How to Convert Your 35mm Slides

To update your old 35 mm slides, you should convert these to computer digital images and save them on your computer, external hard drive or flash drive. This will save space, but will also protect these images and keep them from becoming damaged or scratched. Digital photo specialty shops can do this service for you, but if you have a lot of slides you may want to do this yourself and save money.

• 1

  Connect the scanner to the computer by inserting one end of a USB cord in the USB port on the scanner, and insert the other end into an available USB port on the computer. Place the CD packaged with the scanner in the DVD/CD device in the computer. Wait for the installation process to start automatically. Fill in the appropriate information being requested and follow the on-screen instructions. Click "Finish" when the program completes. This process should only take a few minutes.

• 2

  Pick up a slide and brush dust and debris from it with a soft paint brush. Place 30 or 40 slides in a metal tray and blow compressed air on the slides, moving the air canister from side to side. Keep the air canister at a distance of approximately six to eight inches, so the pressure is not too strong.

• 3

  Place the slide on the scanner, open the slide scanning program and locate the dust elimination process. Most film scanners have some type of dust elimination process feature in their programs. On some programs this is called "Digital Ice." Click the appropriate dust elimination button so the infrared scan light will pass through the film but not the spots and specks. Click the "Scan Slide" button or similar command. This command may differ slightly depending on the scanner and scanning program you are using. Wait for the scan to complete and click "Save As" and name the file. Choose the folder where you want to save the picture and click "OK."

• 4

  Scan each slide in the same way, saving it to the same folder. Transfer the entire folder to an external flash drive or hard drive. Right-click the folder and select "Copy." Open the flash memory or external hard drive window, right-click in any empty area in the window, and select "Paste."