Preparing Your Slides for Scanning: Fronts, Backs & Rotation

To get perfectly readable scans, stack slides with the Front facing up and rotate every slide to landscape. Use the quick identifiers below, then package for smooth, affordable processing.

Why this matters: Signs, text, license plates, and room details will read correctly only when slides are faced and rotated properly before scanning. Don’t overthink it—use the simple rules below.

99.9% of the time the side with the manufacturer logo is the Front.
“Slide holder” refers to the cardboard or plastic frame that holds the film.
Plastic mounts often say “This side toward screen” on the Front.
Backs are usually plain, sometimes with a stamped or embossed number or date.
Rotate every slide to landscape so heads and details aren’t cropped by the scan frame.

Examples of slide Fronts with colorful logos; these should face up in the stack — Examples of Fronts — face these UP in your stacks

Examples of slide Backs showing plain mounts with stamped numbers or dates — Examples of Backs — typically plain with numbers/dates

Plastic slide mount labeled ‘This Side Toward Screen’ indicating the Front — Plastic slides often have “This Side Toward Screen” on the Front.

Plastic slides with solid color gray or black on the Front and white on the back — Solid-color plastic Fronts

Cardboard and plastic slides stacked together neatly in one stack — Cardboard & plastic can share a stack

Comparison demonstrating why all slides should be rotated to landscape before scanning — Rotate every slide to **landscape** before stacking to avoid cropping.

Side-by-side examples of good stacks versus messy stacks of slides — Aim for larger, neat stacks; avoid many tiny stacks that slow scanning.

Waxed paper box with dividers labeled to indicate the starting side for scanning — Use a snug 2" × 2" box with dividers; mark the side to start scanning.

Sawyer or GAF 100-slide carousel that should not be sent — Do not send 100-slide GAF/Sawyer carousels

Notebook sleeves with slides inserted; these should not be sent — Do not send notebook sleeves

Airequipt cartridges that must not be sent; remove metal clips from slides — No Airequipt cartridges (remove metal clips)

Storage tray with individual slots; avoid sending slides in slotted storage — Avoid slotted storage trays

Quick Recap

Build larger, neat stacks.
All Fronts face up (logo/color side).
Rotate every slide to landscape.
Cardboard & plastic may share a stack, but don’t intermix orientations.
If order matters, number the Fronts within each stack; the top slide scans first.

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Animated guide demonstrating rotating slides to landscape and stacking for scanning