Free β€’ No signup Remove Scratches Β· Free

remove scratches from old photo

Erase hairline scratches, deep gouges, and surface damage from scanned vintage prints.

Scanned family portrait with hairline scratches
Before
β†’
Same portrait with scratches removed
After

AI Scratch Remover for Old Photos

Upload photo to remove scratches

Free β€’ Results in 30 seconds β€’ No signup

Release to upload

FreeNo signupNo watermark

1 free edit·then from $1.99

Popular use cases:
  • scanned vintage prints
  • family photo albums
  • heirloom photos
  • memorial photos
  • historical photos

Cost
Free No signup required
Time
Instant results in 15-30 seconds
Works on
Any device - browser, phone, tablet, desktop
Powered by
AI-powered photo editing
Scenario Prompt Time
All scratches at once Remove all the scratches and restore the original surface naturally 25s
Hairline scratches on face Remove the hairline scratches across the face and restore smooth skin 25s
Deep diagonal gouge Remove the deep diagonal gouge and reconstruct the area underneath 30s
Cracks and tears Repair the cracks and tears and seamlessly restore the original image 30s

How it works

  1. Scan the old photo and upload it

    Scan your damaged photo at the highest resolution your scanner supports β€” more pixels give the AI more to work with. Upload as JPG, PNG, WebP, or HEIC up to 7MB.

    Expect: The full-resolution scan loads instantly with all scratches and surface damage visible.
  2. Describe the scratches to remove

    Type 'remove all the scratches from this old photo and restore the surface naturally.' For specific damage like a deep gouge, describe its location and severity.

    Copy one of these to get started:

    All scratches at once Remove all the scratches from this old photo and restore the original surface naturally
    Hairline scratches across face Remove the hairline scratches across the face in this photo and restore smooth skin texture
    Deep gouge across the photo Remove the deep diagonal gouge from this photo and reconstruct the area underneath naturally
    Scuffed corner Repair the scuffed corner of this old photo and restore the original color and texture
    2 more prompts
    White scratch lines Remove the white scratch lines across this photo and restore the underlying scene
    Cracks and tears Repair the cracks and tears in this old photo and seamlessly restore the original image
  3. Generate the restored photo

    Click Generate. The AI fills each scratch with matching texture and color, working across faces, backgrounds, and any complex detail. Pro mode produces noticeably sharper results on detailed photos.

  4. Download the restored photo

    Save the cleaned photo at full resolution with no watermark added. Perfect for printing, framing, or adding to a memorial slideshow.

Try it free ↓

AI Scratch Remover for Old Photos

Upload photo to remove scratches

Free β€’ Results in 30 seconds β€’ No signup

Release to upload

Free β€’ No signup

See it in action

Scanned family portrait with hairline scratches
Before
->
Same portrait with scratches removed
After

Hairline Scratches Across Family Portrait

A scanned 1960s family portrait with dozens of hairline scratches across the surface β€” all removed and the original tones restored.

Prompt: Remove all the scratches from this old photo and restore the original surface naturally
Old photo with deep diagonal scratch
Before
->
Same photo with scratch repaired
After

Deep Diagonal Scratch Repaired

A scanned childhood photo with one deep gouge running across the face β€” repaired and the facial features reconstructed.

Prompt: Remove the deep diagonal gouge from this photo and reconstruct the area underneath naturally

Detailed Guides by Scenario

πŸ“·

Family Photo Restoration

Repair scratched family photos before photobooks, framing, or memorial slideshows.

Common Scenarios

  • Restoring grandparents' wedding photos for an anniversary photobook
  • Cleaning up scratched childhood photos before printing as gifts
  • Preparing damaged family portraits for a memorial slideshow

Best Practices

  • Always tell the AI to 'preserve the vintage texture and grain' so the result still feels period-appropriate
  • Use Pro mode when faces are involved β€” the reconstruction is significantly better
  • Save the original scan untouched and edit a copy
πŸ“·

Heirloom & Historical Prints

Restore severely damaged heirloom and historical photographs that would otherwise be lost.

Common Scenarios

  • Repairing a great-grandparent's 1920s portrait for a genealogy project
  • Restoring a historical photo for a museum exhibit or local history book
  • Cleaning a damaged daguerreotype scan for an archive

Best Practices

  • Scan at the highest resolution available β€” historical prints need every pixel
  • Run multiple passes if needed: large damage first, then surface scratches
  • Don't try to make it look modern β€” preserve the period feel
πŸ“·

Scanned Album Cleanup

Batch-clean photos from an old album scanning project so the whole collection looks consistently restored.

Common Scenarios

  • Digitizing an entire family album and wanting every photo to look clean
  • Sharing a parent's childhood album with siblings without the scratches
  • Building a digital archive of old photos for cloud backup

Best Practices

  • Process photos in batches with consistent prompts for a uniform look
  • Use the same 'preserve the vintage grain' instruction across the whole batch
  • Save originals separately so you can re-edit if needed

If something looks off

Some scratches still visible

Why: The first pass missed thin or low-contrast scratches.

Try: Run a second pass: 'remove any remaining scratches and surface damage and restore the natural texture.'

Tip: Run two passes for heavily damaged photos β€” diminishing returns after that.

Face looks artificial after repair

Why: Deep scratches across a face require the AI to invent missing detail.

Try: Try Pro mode with 'reconstruct realistic facial features matching the surrounding skin tone and lighting.'

Tip: Pro mode is significantly better for face reconstruction β€” worth the 2 credits.

Texture doesn't match the photo's grain

Why: The AI rebuilt with smooth modern texture instead of the original print grain.

Try: Add 'preserve the original photographic grain and vintage texture' to your prompt.

Tip: Always tell the AI you want to keep the vintage look intact.

Cracks repaired but the area is now blurry

Why: Long cracks or tears span lots of pixels and the AI invented detail across them.

Try: Try Pro mode or specify the background: 'rebuild with sharp natural detail matching the surrounding scene.'

Tip: Higher-resolution scans always produce sharper repairs.

Quick answers

How do I remove scratches from an old photo?

Scan the photo at the highest resolution your scanner supports, upload it to EditThisPic, and type 'remove all the scratches from this old photo and restore the surface naturally.' Click Generate and the AI fills every scratch with matching texture and color in 20-30 seconds. No clone stamping by hand.

Can it fix deep scratches that go through a face?

Yes. Deep scratches across faces are harder than surface scratches because the AI has to reconstruct facial features it can't see. Use Pro mode for the best results β€” the difference vs Fast mode is significant on faces. Mention 'realistic facial features matching the surrounding skin tone' for the cleanest reconstruction.

Will it preserve the vintage look of the photo?

Yes, but only if you tell it to. By default the AI fills scratches with smooth modern texture, which can clash with the original grain. Add 'preserve the original photographic grain and vintage texture' to your prompt, and the result keeps the period look while removing the damage.

Does it work on heavily damaged photos with cracks and tears?

Yes, but it depends on how much of the original is still visible. Hairline cracks and small tears reconstruct very well. Photos that are missing entire sections (large rips, water damage, mold) are harder β€” the AI has to invent significant detail. For severe damage, run two passes: first to repair the large damage, then to clean up any artifacts.

Is this AI scratch remover for old photos really free?

Yes β€” every visitor gets one free edit per week with no account needed, so you can repair a scratched old photo at no cost the first time. If you need more, the Lite plan is $4.99/month for 15 credits, Standard is $12.99/month for 50, and Pro is $29.99/month for 150. There are also one-time credit packs from $1.99.

Can I repair scratched photos on my phone?

Yes. EditThisPic runs entirely in your mobile browser β€” iPhone Safari, Android Chrome, and tablets all work. There's nothing to install. Just open editthispic.com, tap to upload your scanned photo, type your prompt, and the cleaned photo downloads straight back to your phone.

What photo formats does the AI old photo scratch remover support?

EditThisPic accepts JPG, PNG, WebP, and HEIC files up to 7MB. JPG and TIFF are the most common scanner outputs β€” convert TIFF to JPG before uploading. The result comes back in the same format you uploaded β€” no quality loss in transit.

How long does it take to remove scratches?

Most edits finish in 20-30 seconds. Heavily damaged photos with many scratches may take a little longer. Pro mode (2 credits, sharper results) can take up to a minute. If it ever takes longer, the credit refunds automatically.

How much does EditThisPic cost?

You get 1 free edit per week β€” no account needed. After that, credit packs start at $1.99 for 3 edits. Monthly plans start at $4.99/mo for 15 edits with unused credits rolling over. All edits are full resolution with no watermark.

Ready to restore that old photo?

Free to try. No signup required.

1 free edit included·Credit packs from $1.99