Connect your scanner to your computer. Use the USB cable provided with your scanner to connect it to your computer by using a USB port. Refer to the scanner manual for further details. Insert the software disc and follow the brief onscreen instructions to complete the installation and set-up stages.
Clean the album art. Make sure that the artwork is clean and dust free before scanning. The scanner will pick up on any dirt, resulting in a blurred and distorted scan. Use a dry cloth to gently wipe away any surface dust.
Place the album artwork on the scanning glass. Turn the scanner on and place your album artwork image side down on the scanner. Align the artwork so that it fits to the corner of the scanner before carefully closing the lid.
Adjust the scan settings. Run the software that came with your scanner or use another image manipulation software of your choice, such as Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop. To start the scanning process, click "File" then "Scan." You will need to adjust the resolution of image before you scan. If you are making a hard copy or printing your album artwork then you should scan at 300 DPI. If you plan on viewing the artwork on your computer or media player then 72-96 DPI will be adequate.
Preview your image. Scanning software will always allow you to preview your image before you scan. Ensure that you are scanning the whole of the album artwork and that your image is going to scan exactly how you want it. Take this opportunity to crop your image and adjust its position on the scanning glass if you believe it is necessary.
Press the "Scan" button on your scanner or click "Scan" in the software window on your computer. Wait for your scanner to finish scanning your image--this may take several minutes. Avoid lifting the scanner lid during the process, as this will damage your image.
Save your completed scan as a JPEG image, as this is a flexible format that works well will all types of images.Give it a name which is appropriate and memorable, for example, Jimmy Hendrix's Greatest Hits. Your album artwork is now ready to be viewed or printed.