How to Remove a Picture Stuck to Glass

Wanted to move a treasured family picture to a new frame but found out the photo is stuck to glass? Well, pulling it off is definitely not a good idea. There are more efficient and damage-free ways to separate a photo from the glass, and we’ll show them to you!

In this article, you’ll find out how to remove a picture that is stuck to glass using 4 different methods. We’ll also talk about why this happens and give you tips to prevent sticking and to restore damaged photos. So, let’s see how you can unstick pictures from frame glass to preserve your fond memories.

Why Do Pictures Stick to Glass in a Frame?

Certain conditions and storage mistakes might make a photograph get stuck to glass:

1. Direct Sunlight and Heat Photo chemicals get damaged when an image is exposed to intense light - this often causes pictures stuck to glass. That is why framed pictures should be placed away from direct sunlight.
2. High Humidity Environment If you place photos in a high humidity environment, they are more likely to stick to glass. This happens because moisture builds up in the space between two surfaces and adheres the image to the glass.
3. Photo and Frame Materials Old photos normally have an extra layer of emulsion coating. It deteriorates over time which makes pictures stick. You should also consider the materials your frame’s made of. For instance, there are frames with UV-protective glass that can help you prevent sticking caused by heat.

Now that you know what might cause sticking, let’s figure out how to get a picture unstuck from glass.

How to Unstick a Picture from Glass:
4 Useful Ways

We’ll show you 4 tried-and-tested ways to separate photographs from the frame. You can choose one depending on the tools you have at your disposal. So, here’s what to do with photos stuck to glass.

Use a Hair Dryer and Warm Air

Blowing warm air helps you detach the part of a picture that got stuck. You can use a hair dryer for this. To avoid overheating, hold it about 5 inches away from the back of your picture. When it’s done, you need to slowly pull at a corner of the photo and gently unstick a photo from glass.

Place the Picture into a Freezer

The adhesive becomes brittle when exposed to low temperatures, so you can try leaving a photo in a freezer for an hour or two. Then remove the picture from the frame and use a putty knife or credit card if necessary. But it’s essential to protect your hands, as the glass might break.

Soak the Photo in Warm Water

Using warm water is yet another effective way to get a photo unstuck from glass. You need to soak your picture in a bowl of warm water. You can easily remove it once the adhesive loosens.

Unstick It with a Credit Card

If you need to remove glued pictures from cardboard, you can do it using a credit card. It allows you to gently unstick it without tearing the photograph or the frame. However, this method might not be as efficient when it comes to fixing pictures stuck to glass.

How to Restore Stuck Photographs Separated from the Frames

If a photo is either slightly or severely damaged after you get a stuck picture off glass, don’t worry. With automatic old photo editing software like PhotoGlory, you can fix defects with no problem.

This is a feature-rich program created with beginners in mind. It lets you easily repair the torn parts in your pictures, remove creases, and even colorize a black-and-white photo. Besides, PhotoGlory offers a range of standard photo editing tools. They include color correction, noise reduction, cropping, resizing, and adding captions.

How to Prevent Photos from Sticking to Glass in a Frame - 3 Tips to Try

Now you know more about separating photos stuck to glass. Even though this seems to be something inevitable, there are some tricks that help you avoid this problem. These are the 3 best tips to protect your photos from sticking to glass:

1. Consider Distance You should add space between the picture and glass to minimize the risk of needing to unstick old photos later. You can simply get a frame that has a small gap between them. There are also archival quality photo-safe mats and recessed box frames that are used to create a barrier.
2. Avoid Direct Sunlight Don’t place your framed pictures exposed directly to the sunlight. Otherwise, sunlight exposure might deteriorate your picture and lead to sticking. This is especially true for glossy photos - they are more prone to sticking compared to matte pictures.
3. Use Archival Materials Whether you want to avoid water damaged photos stuck together or pictures stuck to frame glass, you’ll need archival materials. For instance, you can wrap an image in archival-quality plastic before you put it in the frame. Also, we recommend using photo corners or sleeves instead of gluing. Then you won’t have to remove old photos glued to paper in the future.

This is it! We’ve talked about how to remove a photo stuck to glass using 4 popular methods. In a nutshell, you can do it using a hair dryer, a freezer, warm water, and a credit card. And to prevent it from happening again, consider the storage conditions and the frame you use. In addition, we’ve shared some thoughts on how to easily restore pictures. So, now that you know everything to handle stuck photo prints, why not get started today?