Increase Photo Resolution

Type 'increase resolution' and watch pixelated photos become sharp.

Type 'increase resolution to 4x' or 'make this photo larger and sharper' and EditThisPic's AI intelligently adds detail in 20-40 seconds. No sliders, no technical settings to configure. Works on old photos, screenshots, thumbnails, and social media crops. Free to try, no signup needed.

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How it works

Upload your photo

Drop your low-resolution image into EditThisPic. JPG, PNG, and WebP up to 7MB work. The AI can work with surprisingly small source images—even 200x200 thumbnails can become usable prints.

⏱ Standard resolution increase: 20-30 seconds. Large 4x upscales on complex images: 30-45 seconds.

Describe what you want

Type your instruction: 'increase resolution to 4x' or 'make this photo 2000 pixels wide with sharp details.' That's it. No marking, no selecting areas. The AI understands what 'increase resolution' means and processes the entire image intelligently.

💡 Specify the multiplier (2x, 4x) or target dimensions if you have specific requirements. For faces, add 'with natural skin texture' to prevent over-smoothing.

Copy one of these to get started:

General resolution increase increase resolution to 4x while keeping all details sharp and natural

Old pixelated family photo increase resolution of this old photo to 4x preserving the vintage character, reduce pixelation artifacts

Portrait or headshot increase resolution to 4x with natural skin texture and sharp facial features, avoid over-smoothing

Screenshot with text increase resolution keeping text crisp and edges sharp, make all lettering clearly readable

3 more prompts

Print preparation increase resolution to 3000 pixels on longest side, optimized for high quality photo printing

Product photo for e-commerce increase resolution to 2000x2000 pixels with sharp product edges and accurate colors preserved

Landscape or nature scene increase resolution to 4x with enhanced texture detail in foliage, terrain, and natural elements

Generate and review

Tap generate and examine the result at 100% zoom. Check fine details like text, facial features, and texture areas. Compare against the original to verify the AI added realistic detail rather than blurry interpolation.

💡 Always zoom to actual pixels. Preview thumbnails hide both quality improvements and potential artifacts.

Refine with markers if needed

If certain areas look over-processed or artifacts appeared, tap markers on those spots and regenerate with more specific instructions. This is optional—most resolution increases work well without additional refinement.

💡 Markers are for precision refinement, not a required step. Try without them first—the AI usually handles the entire image correctly.

Try it free ↓

"Had a pixelated photo from 2008 that was 320px wide. Typed 'increase resolution to 4x' and it came out sharp enough to frame." @PhotoArchiveJen

See it in action

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Pixelated profile photo restored

Old social media profile picture from 2010 was only 150x150 pixels. AI upscaling brought it to printable quality while preserving the person's likeness.

Prompt: increase resolution to 4x with natural skin texture and sharp facial features, preserve original likeness

Small pixelated vacation photo from old camera phone — Before

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Same vacation photo with increased resolution ready for framing — After

Low-res vacation photo enlarged for framing

Photo from an old flip phone was too small to print. One prompt increased it to frame-worthy resolution.

Prompt: increase resolution to 4x while keeping all details sharp and natural, suitable for large print

Pixelated low-resolution screenshot with blurry unreadable text — Before

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Same screenshot with increased resolution and crisp readable text — After

Blurry screenshot made presentation-ready

Low-resolution screenshot from an old video tutorial was illegible. AI increased resolution while making text crisp and readable.

Prompt: increase resolution keeping text crisp and edges sharp, make all lettering clearly readable without blur

If something looks off

AI changed the wrong area or something I didn't want changed

Why: The AI interpreted ambiguous areas differently than expected, possibly adding details that weren't in the original image.

Try:

Tap a marker on the specific area that looks wrong, then regenerate with 'increase resolution preserving original details exactly'

💡 Markers tell the AI 'pay special attention here.' Use them when AI-generated details don't match your expectations.

Faces look plastic or unnaturally smooth

Why: AI upscalers often over-smooth skin to hide pixelation artifacts, resulting in an artificial appearance.

Try: increase resolution to 4x preserving natural skin texture and pores, realistic appearance not airbrushed

💡 Adding 'pores' and 'realistic' forces the AI to maintain natural skin characteristics.

Text is still blurry or unreadable after increasing resolution

Why: The AI treated text as image content rather than prioritizing sharp edges. Text requires different handling than photographs.

Try: increase resolution with priority on text sharpness, make all lettering crisp and perfectly readable

💡 For documents or screenshots, try specifying 'treat as document with text' for better text handling.

Strange artifacts or halos appeared around edges

Why: Over-sharpening during upscaling creates halos at high-contrast edges. This is more visible around dark objects on light backgrounds.

Try: increase resolution with natural edge treatment, no sharpening halos or ringing artifacts

💡 If halos persist, tap markers on the affected edges and specify 'soft natural transitions.'

Colors look different after resolution increase

Why: Some AI upscaling can shift colors slightly, especially in shadows and highlights. This is more common with heavily compressed sources.

Try: increase resolution preserving exact original colors, no color shifts or saturation changes

💡 Mentioning 'exact original colors' keeps the AI from adjusting your color palette.

Quick answers

Do I need to mark anything before increasing resolution?

No! Just type what you want: 'increase resolution to 4x' and try it. The AI processes the entire image automatically. Markers are only needed if you want to refine specific areas after seeing the initial result—but most resolution increases work perfectly on the first try.

How much can I increase photo resolution?

You can effectively increase resolution up to 4x in a single pass, meaning a 500x500 image becomes 2000x2000. For larger increases, upscale once, download, then upscale again. Beyond 8x total, the AI starts inventing details that weren't in the original, so quality may vary.

Will increasing resolution fix a blurry photo?

Increasing resolution adds pixels and realistic detail to small images, but it works best on sharp source images that are simply too small. If your photo is blurry from camera shake or focus issues, try our 'fix blurry photo' tool first, then increase resolution afterward.

What resolution do I need for printing?

For quality prints, you typically need 300 DPI. A web image at 72 DPI needs roughly 4x resolution increase to reach print quality. Type 'increase resolution to 3000 pixels on longest side for print' to get specific dimensions suitable for most standard print sizes.

Can I increase resolution of old scanned photos?

Yes—old scanned photos are ideal for this tool. Type 'increase resolution to 4x while preserving the vintage character and reducing noise.' The AI adds detail while respecting the original aesthetic. For best results, scan at your scanner's highest resolution before uploading.

Ready to increase your photo's resolution?

Free to try. No signup required.