Source: https://restorebunny.com/guides/repair-torn-photos/

# How to Repair Torn Photos (Tears, Creases, Missing Corners)

Best practices for handling tears and creases, plus what to do when parts of the photo are missing.

7 min readUpdated 08 February 2026

## Start with the best scan you can

For torn photos, scan flat and at high resolution. If the photo is curled or folded, avoid forcing it flat - use gentle weights on the corners or photograph it carefully.

Try to capture the full photo edge so the restoration has complete context.

## Step-by-step: repair tears and creases

1. Scan or photograph the photo with even lighting.
2. Crop only after you have a clean full-frame capture.
3. Run restoration focused on damage repair.
4. If a large area is missing, restore first, then use a manual editor for precise reconstruction if needed.
5. Upscale after repair if the source is small.

## When a manual edit is still worth it

- Large missing corners where background reconstruction must match perfectly.
- Text-heavy photos (labels, captions) where accuracy matters.
- Photos with repeating patterns (brick walls, fabrics) that need consistent texture.

## Example: torn print cleaned up

![Before restoration with crease lines and torn texture](<https://restorebunny.com/images/difference-before.jpg>)

![After restoration with crease lines reduced and smoother texture](<https://restorebunny.com/images/difference-after.jpg>)

Reduce crease lines and surface breaks

## FAQs

Can restoration recreate missing parts of the image?

Minor missing areas can often be improved, but large missing regions may still need a manual edit for a perfect match.

Should I tape a torn photo before scanning?

Avoid tape on the front if possible. It can introduce glare and permanent texture. Scan the photo as-is if you can.

## Related

- [AI Photo Restoration](<https://restorebunny.com/features/photo-restoration>)
- [AI Image Upscaler](<https://restorebunny.com/features/image-upscaler>)
- [Pricing](<https://restorebunny.com/pricing>)

## Ready to restore your photos?

Upload an image, choose your settings, and preview results with a before/after slider.

[Get Started](<https://restorebunny.com/signup/>)[View Pricing](<https://restorebunny.com/pricing/>)

RestoreBunny Team

Photo restoration editors

Guides follow our [editorial policy](<https://restorebunny.com/editorial-policy/>) for sourcing, product claims, AI limitations, updates, and corrections.