Old photo restoration
Bring faded family prints back: specks and fine scratches go instantly, contrast returns, and an AI pass repairs creases, stains and tears, or adds colour.
Open a photo to get instant, private fixes in your browser, then optionally run an AI pass.
Restore an old photo
Scan it well
Flat, glare-free, in daylight, filling the frame. A good scan matters more than any filter.
Clean and rebalance
The preset removes dust, restores contrast and cools the yellowed paper. Tune Dust & scratches until the specks go.
Repair with AI
AI restore fixes creases, tears and stains; Colourise adds natural colour to black and white prints.
What damage each tool fixes
| Damage | Fix |
|---|---|
| White specks, dust, fine scratches | Dust & scratches slider |
| Faded, flat, grey look | Contrast + Shadows |
| Yellow or orange paper tone | Warmth to the left |
| Film grain | Noise reduction, lightly |
| Creases, cracks, tears, water stains | AI restore |
| Missing corner | Object remover with AI clean-up |
Look after the original
Restoration works on a copy; the print itself keeps ageing. Archivists such as the US Library of Congress recommend storing photos in a cool, dry, stable room (not an attic or basement), in acid-free, lignin-free sleeves or boxes, and handling prints by the edges.
Save your untouched scan as well as the restored version, and name files with the people, place and year while someone still remembers.
Questions people ask
How do I restore an old photo?
Scan or photograph the print flat, in even daylight and without glare. Open it here: dust and scratches are removed automatically and faded contrast is lifted. Adjust the sliders, then press AI restore for creases, tears and stains the instant filter cannot fix.
Can AI colourise black and white photos?
Yes. Press "Colourise with AI" after opening a black and white photo. The colours are a plausible guess based on what the model has learned, not a record of the real colours, so a dress or car may come out a different shade than it was.
What is the best way to scan an old photo?
A flatbed scanner at 600 dpi is best. With a phone, lay the print flat by a window (no direct sun), hold the phone exactly parallel, turn off flash, and fill the frame. Apps such as Google PhotoScan remove glare by combining several shots.
Will restoration change faces?
The instant tools never change faces. The AI restore is told to keep faces and expressions exactly, but it redraws the image, so small details can shift. Compare with the divider and keep your original scan.
Why does the dust filter soften fine detail?
It replaces pixels that differ sharply from their neighbours, and at high strength some real detail (eyelashes, hair highlights) looks like dust too. Keep it as low as removes the specks.