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Tips and Resources for Scanning and Using Images in PowerPoint

 The Basics

•    Scan as close to the final size and resolution as possible. Set the print size as well as the resolution. For items that will be shown on a computer screen, use 72 dpi. 

•    If in doubt as to the final size, it is better to scan larger than needed, and scale down than it is to try to scale up a too-small image. You can’t pull pixels out of thin air, so if you do have to scale up, scan the original at twice the target dpi.
 
Resizing Images

•    Do NOT resize your images in PowerPoint. Use Photoshop. This reduces the chance that your image quality will suffer in the transition, and helps keep file sizes under control. Do not expect to be able to scale a 150 x 200 pixel document to 300 x 400 and expect the quality to be acceptable.

•    Do NOT resize a JPEG or other compressed image. Convert to a native Photoshop file first. Resize the Photoshop file, then save to a JPEG if needed.

•    JPEG is a lossy compression format, and artifacts will be introduced with each resize and resave. Even if you open a JPEG, and resave it without making any changes, you will still lose quality, as the image is going to be recompressed.

Other Relevant Resources

Article 0001 - Compressing Images for the Web - JPEG

Scan Tip 001 - Scanning for the Screen or Print

Scan Tip 002 - Preparing Slides for use in a PowerPoint Presentation