Video Tutorial: How to Identify Slide Fronts and Backs

Watch This Quick Video to Learn the Simple Trick

Confused about which side of your slides is the front and which is the back? You're not alone—this is one of the most common questions we get. Watch our quick video tutorial below to see exactly how to identify fronts and backs in seconds.

The simple rule: 99 times out of 100, the front will be the side with the logo or brand name on it (Kodak, Kodachrome, Ektachrome, Fujichrome, etc.). The back typically shows only a date stamp or processing number.

Why Slide Orientation Matters for Scanning

Getting your slides oriented correctly isn't just about being organized—it directly affects how your digital images turn out. If slides are facing the wrong direction during scanning, your images will be mirror-reversed (backwards).

We scan slides the same way they were projected: The front (with the brand name) faces the scanner, just as it faced the projector screen. The back (with dates or numbers) faces away from the scanner, just as it faced away from the screen.

When you organize your slides correctly before sending them to us, we can scan them efficiently without having to check and flip each one—which saves time and keeps your costs down.

What to Look For on Slide Fronts

Film brand names: Kodachrome, Ektachrome, Fujichrome, Agfachrome, and others

Processing lab names: Kodak, Fuji, and various professional labs

Colored borders or frames: Many slide mounts have decorative borders on the front

Copyright symbols: Sometimes printed on the front along with the brand

The front is designed to be visible when the slide sits in a projector carousel, so it typically has more visual information than the plain back.

What to Look For on Slide Backs

Date stamps: Processing date, usually month and year (like "JUN 78")

Processing codes: Batch numbers or lab codes

Handwritten numbers: Many people numbered their slides on the back

Handwritten descriptions: Brief notes about the subject or location

Mostly blank: The back is usually much plainer than the front

People wrote on the backs because that's the side facing you when loading slides into a projector—it was the natural place to add identifying information.

Still Not Sure? We Can Help

If you're still uncertain after watching the video, don't worry—we're here to help!

Send us photos: Take quick pictures of both sides of a few slides and email them to us. We'll confirm which side is which.

Call us: Reach us at 1-800-844-1393 during business hours. We can walk you through identification on the phone.

Don't stress: Even if you send slides oriented incorrectly, we can flip the digital images. It's not ideal, but it's fixable. The important thing is preserving your slides before they deteriorate further.

More Video Tutorials

We have an entire library of preparation videos to help you get your slides ready for scanning:

• All Slide Preparation Videos
• Organizing Carousel Trays
• Slide Storage and Organization
• Tips for Organizing Large Collections

Ready to Get Your Slides Scanned?

Once you've identified your slide fronts and backs and organized them properly, you're ready to send them for professional scanning.

Every slide receives expert attention: We scan at 4,000 PPI and apply professional Photoshop editing to each image. Your digital files will look better than the slides ever did in a projector.

Trusted since 2002: We've helped thousands of families and institutions preserve their slide collections with meticulous care and attention to detail.