Introduction: Copy or Scan From Thin Paper Without Bleedthrough From the Back

The printing on the back side of thin paper can bleed through when you copy or scan an image from its front side, as illustrated by the accompanying photo. The solution may seem counterintuitive, but it works.

Step 1: Light Image on the Front Side, Bold Print on the Back

The bright light in most copiers and scanners will cause the print on the backside to show though into the desired image located on the front side of the page.

Step 2: Cover the Back of the Page With Heavy Black Paper

Covering the back of the clipping with black paper will cause the backside printing to become part of a uniform full-page black background.

Step 3: Bleedthrough Is Minimized

Black paper on the back will cause the desired image to become slightly dark overall, but most copiers and scanners will automatically adjust to yield an acceptable image that minimizes the bleedthrough. Otherwise, the copier controls can be used to manually adjust for the best image. The brightness and contrast of an image scanned into a photo-editing computer program can be adjusted manually until the best image is achieved.

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