Mr Scan Help Page

Help & Support | Mr Scan

Help & Support

Having an issue? You’ll find the most common answers and fixes below. If you still need assistance, we’re here to help.

To arrange a return, please see our Returns Page.

Image quality

Please remember that most films and slides are decades old. Over time they naturally fade, collect dust and can develop scratches or mould. Our scanners and team will always produce the best possible digital image from your originals — but they can’t recreate a brand-new photo.

  • Minor marks, colour fading or blotches may remain after standard scanning.
  • For heavier issues, consider our Photo Restoration Service (from ~£8 per image). Send us examples and we’ll advise whether it’s suitable in-house or requires our specialist restorer.

Inverted slides or negatives

Some slides don’t include “view from this side” indicators. We’ll do our best to orient them correctly, but occasional errors can occur. If you need to flip an image, it’s quick to do in most editors. We recommend XNView MP.

Missing images

Very occasionally a scanner may skip or reject a frame due to extreme contrast, focus issues or debris causing a jam.

If you notice a missing image: email us with details. If approved, we’ll ask you to return the affected item and will reattempt the scan. While we can’t guarantee success, we’ll always try.

Cropping

Our scanners auto-crop every frame. In rare cases (e.g., poor film quality or unreadable barcodes) cropping may be imperfect. We quality-check batches, but we don’t compare each digital frame against the original.

Unmounted or damaged slides

We offer an additional service for slides that are out of their mounts or too damaged for standard scanning. A small per-image charge covers temporary mounting and removal. If your mounts are in poor condition, the charge may also apply.

Dirty film

We don’t touch films directly. We use professional air blowers and Digital ICE technology to reduce dust and scratches.

  • Very dirty or sticky films may retain visible defects.
  • The better your originals and storage, the better the result.
  • Monochrome negatives may retain slightly more imperfections due to software limitations.

Need further cleanup? Our Photo Restoration Service can help.

Glass-mounted or plastic-sleeved slides

For the best quality, send slides without glass or sleeves. Our equipment can scan most types, but dust and focus are improved when glass is removed.

  • We don’t remove or remount glass as part of the service.
  • Please remove cracked glass before sending; cracks will scan.
  • Non-standard or over-size glass mounts may require our Custom Slide Scanning workflow.

Image rotation (APS / 35 mm)

We don’t rotate APS and 35 mm scans. If a photo was taken sideways, it will appear sideways in the files. Rotate easily with XNView MP or your preferred editor.

Image order

We use multiple professional scanners to keep prices low and turnaround fast, so a strict sequence can’t be guaranteed.

  • Rescans, mixed mount sizes, repairs and cleaning can change order.
  • The easiest way to achieve a specific order is to rename files after delivery.

If you require an exact order, please contact us to arrange a manual workflow (charged at a higher rate).

Returned order of originals

We’ll always try to return film in the same order, but due to the scanning process this isn’t guaranteed.

Negative film strips

We don’t scan partial strips. Each strip must be scanned in full, with a minimum of two 35 mm frames. Please remove any labels or tape beforehand (additional removal charges may apply).

Unprocessed film

We’re unable to scan any unprocessed film. Please ensure film is fully developed before sending.

Compatibility of Mr Scan media

USB sticks / SD cards / external drives

All drives are formatted for both PC and Mac, and are typically compatible with most TVs and games consoles.

If your device isn’t recognised:

  • Try another computer or TV.
  • Check your device manual for supported formats.
  • Update the firmware or software on your device.

All devices are fully tested before dispatch, but static or faulty USB ports can cause corruption. Please back up files immediately on receipt. If a device still fails, contact us to arrange a test and replacement if faulty.

CD / DVD discs

Every disc is error-checked before dispatch and written in widely compatible formats (DVD±R).

If a disc won’t play:

  • Try it in another computer or DVD player.
  • Update your device’s firmware.

We can’t assume responsibility for third-party firmware issues, but we’ll always help test or replace if a disc is found faulty.

Playing high-quality MP4 video files on Smart TVs and slower computers

We supply high-quality MP4 video files to preserve your memories at the best possible standard. While these files play reliably on modern computers, some Smart TVs and lower-powered or older laptops can struggle with larger file sizes and higher bitrates.

Why this happens: Smart TVs often have limited memory and processing power compared to computers. Even relatively new TVs may buffer, pause, or require you to press play again when handling long or high-quality video files.

Recommended playback options:

  • Play files on a PC or Mac for the most reliable experience.
  • Use an external media player with stronger graphics hardware, such as a games console (e.g. Xbox), which many customers find handles our files much more smoothly.

If you mainly intend to watch your videos on a Smart TV or slower device, we can convert your files to a lower-quality, smaller file size that may perform better on limited hardware. This is optional, does not replace your original high-quality files, and is available for a small fee.

We are always happy to double-check a USB stick on our own systems to confirm everything is working correctly before ruling out device limitations.

Using your device: We can’t provide technical support for the setup of TVs, computers or external hardware, but we’re happy to advise where possible.

FAQs

Why do my scanned images look different from how I remember?

Ageing introduces fading, dust and scratches. We produce the best possible result from your originals, but some artefacts may remain. Consider optional restoration for heavier issues.

An image is upside down or mirrored—how can I fix it?

Open it in your preferred editor and choose Rotate or Flip. In XNView MP, select the image and use Image ? Rotate or Image ? Mirror.

A frame seems missing—what should I do?

Email us with the filename(s). If approved, return the item and we’ll reattempt a scan. It isn’t guaranteed, but we’ll always try.

Can you keep my slides in a specific order?

Strict order isn’t guaranteed with multi-scanner workflows. You can easily rename files after delivery. For exact ordering, contact us to arrange a manual workflow (additional charge).

Do you scan unprocessed film?

No — please send only developed film.

 

 

Recommended Software Downloads
XNView

Images – XNView

We highly recommend XNView for viewing, renaming, adjusting, rotating and flipping your images.

 it’s free for home use.

 
VLC Media Player

Video – VLC Media Player

For playing video files and DVDs on your computer we recommend that you download a free media player called VLC Media player (click cone image for download)

 

Please note: the above software is not supplied by Mr Scan ltd, we can offer no technical support, please do not call us regarding any issues you may have using the software, please contact the software company directly.