Upscale an image to HD
Generate the detail a resize cannot, at up to four times the pixels you started with.
What this tool does
A conventional resize spreads existing pixels over a larger area, which is why enlarged photos look soft. The upscaler generates new detail instead, drawing on what it has learned about how eyes, fabric, brickwork and foliage look at high resolution. A 500-pixel image comes back at 2000.
Good for
- Images saved from websites at thumbnail size
- Old profile pictures and avatars
- Any photo you want to crop into and still have something left
Where it stops working
Past about 4x the model is guessing more than reconstructing, and faces are the first thing to look synthetic. Find a larger source copy if one exists before upscaling.
Questions about image restoration
Is upscaling the same as sharpening?
No. Sharpening raises contrast on edges that already exist. Upscaling creates detail the file never contained.
How large can I print the result?
A 4x upscale of a typical phone capture prints cleanly at A4. Larger than that depends on how much real detail the original held.
Read the full guide
How to unpixelate an image covers the method in detail, including the cases where this tool is the wrong choice.