CVS Home Movie & Photo Transfer | Frequently Asked Questions

The CVS Home Movie & Photo Transfer Services is powered by Capture. Capture was founded in 1999, and has helped over 12 million families protect and share generations of memories. We are the largest digital media transfer service worldwide and believe in providing a service that we would trust to preserve our own special memories. Capture has been trusted by CVS customers since 2008.

Over time, videotapes, movie film reels, photos, slides, and negatives deteriorate, and the equipment needed to play them becomes obsolete. CVS Photos, in partnership with Capture, makes it easy to convert your aging media formats into digital files so you can preserve, relive, and share your memories for years to come.

Our digitization service is ideal for anyone who wants a simple, professional solution—especially if you don’t have the technical expertise, equipment, or time to transfer media yourself. Your memories are converted into a Digital Copy, accessible in your MemoryCloud account, with the option to save them to Google Photos for easy downloading, sharing, and long-term storage.

Depending on your selected output:

• DVDs include easy-to-navigate menus and chapters, plus automatically created highlight videos set to music.
• USBs provide universal compatibility across devices with a USB port, making files easy to view, store, duplicate, and back up.

CVS Photo’s goal is to help you preserve your favorite moments with a seamless, worry-free experience.

Over the past 25 years, we have developed best practices to ensure the safety and security of your memories.

• Security Tags – As soon as your package arrives at our production facility, every item is tagged with a unique code so it can be easily tracked at any time.
• Video Surveillance – Our facility is equipped with comprehensive video surveillance to ensure the security of your media. Every step of the transfer process is monitored and recorded for added protection.
• Digital Backup – Your memories are securely backed up and saved for 60 days.
• Online Order Tracking – You can check the status of your order using the Order Tracking Tool

Videotapes: VHS, S-VHS, Betamax, VHS-C, S-VHS-C, Hi-8, Digital8, Video8, DV, DVCAM, MiniDV, DVC (Videotapes can be in NTSC or PAL formats.)

Film Reels: Regular 8 mm, Super 8 mm, 16 mm

Photos: Sizes 2″ x 2″ to 8″ x 12″

Slides: 35 mm, Super 35 mm, 35 mm Half Frame, 110, 126, 127, 127, Superslide, and 120/220 Medium (Slides must be in plastic or cardboard mounts.)

Negatives: 35 mm, APS Film, 110/220 Film, 126 Instamatic Film, Large Negatives

Digital Media: Secure Digital (SD), Compact Flash (CF), SmartMedia (SM), xD-Picture Card, MultiMediaCard (MMC), USB Drives, CDs, DVDs.
Video Files: MPEG1, MPEG2, MP4, AVI, Quicktime/MOV, WMV Image Files: BMP, GIF, JPG, JPEG, JPE, JIF, JIFF, JFI, PNG, TIF, TIFF

• Click the "Start Order" button and select the media you want to transfer.
• Customize your transfer options and add items to your cart.
• Add additional media to your order, then proceed to checkout.
• If you want to add your digital memories to Google Photos, connect your Google account; otherwise, click “I’ll do this later”.
• Select a Pick Up Location.
• Enter your contact information and click “Place My Order”
• Check your email for your Order Documents and print them. Follow the Checklist instructions and prepare your order for drop-off.
• Send Your Media:
  • Drop off at CVS: Bring your media and a copy of your Order Documents to CVS Photo.
  • Drop off at UPS: Pack your media according to our Shipping Instructions, use the included prepaid shipping label, and drop it off at a UPS location.

For information about the pricing of Digital Media Transfers and our other services, please refer to our Price List.

You can also receive a free quote for your media digitization. Simply visit our Free Instant Quote page, click the "Estimate My Project" button, and answer a few quick questions about the media you’d like to digitize.

Once completed, you'll instantly see your personalized quote, and we’ll email you the details along with instructions to create your order.

You'll receive email notifications when your order arrives at our facility and when it ships.

You can also track your order using our Order Tracking Tool by entering your last name and order number. If you don’t have your order number, search using the phone number or email you used to place your order.

If you need further assistance, our Customer Support Team is happy to help. We have a few ways you can Contact Us. Once shipped, you can also track your package on the UPS website using the 18-digit tracking code.

Your Video Transfer includes a Digital Copy of your footage, with online access via MemoryCloud for 60 days, allowing you to download or save your files to Google Photos.

Video Transfers will preserve the quality of your video footage as it appears on the tape. Footage will not be enhanced, but for VHS transfers, the digital file will typically be captured at 720x480 (same as MiniDV), which is higher than the estimated VHS resolution of 333x480.

You can choose to receive your transfer on a DVD or USB for long-term storage and easy viewing. Here’s what’s included with each:

• DVD: Continuous play, scene-based chapters, a DVD case with thumbnails, original audio, and 3 music video trailers.
• USB: An MP4 video file of your transfer, with original audio from your videotape.

Your original videotapes and cases will be returned with your completed order.

Pricing:
Video Transfer to DVD: $25.99 for the first 2 hours and $25.99 for each additional 2 hours.
Video Transfer to USB: $34.99 for the first 2 hours and $34.99 for each additional 2 hours.

Your Film Transfer includes a Digital Copy of your footage, with online access via MemoryCloud for 60 days, allowing you to download or save your files to Google Photos.

Film Transfers may slightly enhance the footage with more vibrant colors and reduced scratches, dust, and lint from the film surface. Your original film reels and cases will be returned with your completed order. During the transfer process, your film will be cleaned, spliced, and combined onto new 7-inch reels. Your original reels will be returned empty.

You can choose to receive your transfer on a DVD or USB for long-term storage and easy viewing. Here’s what’s included with each format:

• DVD: Continuous play, scene-based chapters, a DVD case with thumbnails, 3 music video trailers, and optional original audio from your film.
• USB: An MP4 video file of your transfer, with optional original audio from your film.

Pricing:
Film Transfer to DVD: $25.99 for the first 50 feet and $0.34 per additional foot.
Film Transfer to USB: $34.99 for the first 50 feet and $0.34 per additional foot.

Your original film reels and cases will be returned with your completed order.

Your Photo Transfer includes a digital download plus option to transfer to USB or DVD. You can access and download your digitized memories in MemoryCloud for 60 days.

Photo Transfers will preserve the quality of your photo as it appears in your original print. Each photo is scanned into a 12-megapixel JPEG file for clear, high-quality digital storage.

You can choose to receive your transfer on a DVD or USB for long-term storage and easy viewing. Here’s what’s included with each:

• DVD: Slideshow movie of your images, scene-based chapters, a DVD case with thumbnails, background music (if selected), 3 music video trailers, and 12-megapixel JPEG images files of each photo.
• USB: 12-megapixel JPEG image files of each photo.

Your original photos will be returned with your completed order.

Pricing:
Photo Transfer to DVD: $25.99 for the first 30 photos and $0.49 per additional photo.
Photo Transfer to USB: $34.99 for the first 30 photos and $0.49 per additional photo.

Your Slide Transfer includes a digital download plus option to transfer to USB or DVD. You can access and download your digitized memories in MemoryCloud for 60 days.

Slide Transfers may receive slight color correction based on the image to enhance its quality. Each 35mm slide will be scanned as a 12-megapixel JPEG file (smaller slide formats may be scanned at a lower resolution).

You can choose to receive your transfer on a DVD or USB for long-term storage and easy viewing. Here’s what’s included with each:

• DVD: Slideshow movie of your images, scene-based chapters, a DVD case with thumbnails, background music (if selected), 3 music video trailers, and 12-megapixel JPEG images files of each slide.
• USB: 12-megapixel JPEG image files of each slide.

Your original slides will be returned with your completed order.

Pricing:
Slide Transfer to DVD: $25.99 for the first 30 slides and $0.49 per additional slide.
Slide Transfer to USB: $34.99 for the first 30 slides and $0.49 per additional slide.

Your Negative Transfer includes a digital download plus the option to transfer to USB or DVD. You can access and download your digitized memories in MemoryCloud for 60 days.

Negative Transfers will preserve the quality of your negative, similar to how it would appear in a printed photo. We will reverse the colors so you can view the image properly. Each negative will be scanned as a 12-megapixel JPEG file.

You can choose to receive your transfer on a DVD or USB for long-term storage and easy viewing. Here’s what’s included with each:

• DVD: Slideshow movie of your images, scene-based chapters, a DVD case with thumbnails, background music (if selected), 3 music video trailers, and 12-megapixel JPEG images files of each negative frame.
• USB: 12-megapixel JPEG image files of each negative frame.

Your original negatives will be returned with your completed order.

Pricing:
Negative Transfer to DVD: $25.99 for the first 30 negative frames and $0.49 per additional negative frame.
Negative Transfer to USB: $34.99 for the first 30 negative frames and $0.49 per additional negative frame.

Your Digital Media Transfer includes a Digital Copy and MemoryCloud online access where you have the ability to download or save to Google Photos (available for 60 days after your order is processed). You also have the option to add a DVD or USB.

Digital Media Transfers include the videos and photos stored on your digital media device. Videos are transferred at up to 1920x1080 resolution, and photos larger than 36 megapixels are not included.

You can choose to receive your transfer on a DVD or USB for long-term storage and easy viewing. Here’s what’s included with each:

• DVD: Slideshow movie of your images/videos, scene-based chapters, a DVD case with thumbnails, original audio, and 3 music video trailers.
• USB: MP4 video file of each digital video and JPEG image file of each digital image.

Your original digital media device will be returned with your completed order.

Pricing:
Digital Media Transfer to DVD: $25.99 for the first 90 minutes and $25.99 for each additional 90 minutes.
Digital Media Transfer to USB: $34.99 for the first 90 minutes and $34.99 for each additional 90 minutes.

Your media will be transferred to digital files that can be viewed, shared, and saved. Visit MemoryCloud to access your digitized memories. From there you can download, and/or save your memories to Google Photos.

Not all orders require activation, but if you don’t see your memories in MemoryCloud, you may need to activate your Digital Copy. To activate your Digital Copy:

• Visit mcloud.capture.com and click the Sign In button.
• Create or log into your MemoryCloud account using the email address listed on the pricing label of your completed order.
• Enter the Access Code found on the pricing label to unlock your Digital Copy.

If you’ve logged in and still don’t see your memories, double-check that you’re using the correct email and Access Code. If you need assistance, feel free to contact our support team for help!

Each DVD can hold up to 2 hours of footage from 1 videotape. There is no footage limit on USB copies. In most cases, your footage will be transferred to a single USB, but if it exceeds our USB storage capacity, you will receive additional USBs at no additional charge.

We are able to fit approximately 1,600 feet of film onto one DVD. If you have a mixture of film formats, we may not be able to transfer 1,600 feet onto a DVD. There is no footage limit on USB copies. In most cases, your footage will be transferred to a single USB, but if it exceeds our USB storage capacity, you will receive additional USBs at no additional charge.

We are able to fit approximately 500 photos, slides, or negatives onto one DVD. We can only provide an estimate because image file sizes depend on the image details as images with more details will result in a larger file size. There is no size limit on USB copies. In most cases, your photos will be transferred to a single USB, but if it exceeds our USB storage capacity, you will receive additional USBs at no additional charge.

Up to 90 minutes of video or 771 picture files will fit on a DVD. If your device contains more files, we will create additional discs to include all your files.

There is no size or footage limit for USB. In most cases, your content will be transferred to a single USB, but if your order exceeds our USB storage capacity, you will receive additional USBs at no additional charge.

Your order will take 3-4 weeks from the time you send it to us or drop off at your local CVS Photo, to when you get it back. You will get an email notification once we receive your media, and another email when we ship it back to you or your local CVS Photo.

We store your video and photo assets for a total of 60 days from the date we complete your order. If you have not completed your download, we will send you a reminder at 30 days, 15 days, and 2 days until expiration. When your data expires, we will delete the video and photo assets associated with your order from our system and you will no longer be able to access them.

You can connect your Google account when you place your order, and your digitized memories will be uploaded to your Google Photos account once your order is processed. You can also add your digitized memories to Google Photos after you’ve reviewed them in MemoryCloud.

We are able to replace broken videotape cases, repair basic ribbon damage, and clean slight mold on a videotape with all transfers. If your videotape has extensive ribbon damage and excessive mold, we will send it back unprocessed.

• Use a sturdy box to package your order.
• Include packing material to limit the amount of empty space inside the box.
• Use packing tape to completely seal your shipping box.
• Remove old shipping labels and barcodes from the box.
• Securely affix the UPS label to the outside of your box using a shipping pouch or clear packing tape.

To ensure your slides, photos, or negatives are processed in your preferred order, follow these steps:

If You Want a Specific Order:

• Sort your slides, photos, or negatives in the desired sequence.
• Group them into bundles of 50.
• Number each item (for photos) or each envelope/bag (for slides and negatives) in numerical order.
• Secure each bundle with a rubber band.
• Place each bundle in an envelope or bag.

If You Don’t Have a Preferred Order:

• Group your slides, photos, or negatives into bundles of 50.
• Secure each bundle with a rubber band.
• Place each bundle in an envelope or bag.

By following these guidelines, we can digitize your media efficiently while maintaining any intended sequence.

Below is more information about each status that your order will be during the transfer process. If you have any questions, feel free to Contact Us.

Created
Your order has been placed. Please carefully pack and ship your media to us.

If you already shipped your media, you can track it via your chosen shipping carrier.

Arrived
Your shipment has arrived at our production facility. We will update you when our Memory Experts have started processing your order.

Processing
Good news! Our Memory Experts have started processing the contents of your order. You will receive an email once your digitized memories are ready for viewing.

Quality Check
We have finished processing your media and our Memory Experts are finalizing your order. We will let you know once your media has been shipped.

Shipped
Your memories are on their way back to you, along with your original media. We hope you enjoy reliving your memories! Thanks for choosing Capture for your digitization needs.