How to increase photo resolution, free to try
Ever typed “how can I increase resolution of image” into a search box? The answer is AI upscaling, which adds pixels and rebuilds detail. Here is how to up the resolution of a picture: upload it, choose 2× or 4×, and save the result.
New accounts get 30 free credits, once. Sign-in is needed before your first upscale.
Or drop an image here
JPG, PNG, WebP up to 10 MB
“How do I increase the resolution of a picture if people say the detail isn't there?”
The AI redraws plausible edges, texture and text while it enlarges, but it cannot bring back detail that is fully gone.
Drop a JPG, PNG or WebP in the upload box above. Camera files over 10 MB are compressed in your browser first, with the long edge capped at 3840 px. Have several photos? Select up to 10 at once, and each one is its own job that is charged separately. Results appear as they finish, and Download all saves them as one ZIP.
Before you upload, work out how to improve resolution of a picture for the job. For print, multiply the inches on the long side by 300 DPI. For screens, use the pixel sizes below. The table shows the smallest source photo that reaches each target, at 4× and at 2×.
| Target | Long edge | Smallest source at 4× | Smallest source at 2× |
|---|---|---|---|
| HD 720p | 1280 px | 320 px | 640 px |


Each sample starts small and is enlarged 4×. Compare the stretched original with the AI result before you trust it, and remember that results vary by photo.
See how to improve resolution of image files in about 2 minutes. Sign up with email and start with 30 free credits. Nothing to install, and no watermark on the result.
“The canvas shop wants more pixels and I don't know how to increase picture resolution.”
Upscale 4× for 16 times the pixels, or type your print size and DPI in the print size helper to see what you need; a very small source can still fall short.
“I keep looking up how to improve picture resolution, but every resize in my editor just blurs it.”
The AI redraws detail instead of stretching pixels, though a tiny or heavily compressed source still looks soft.
“The free upscaler wanted a subscription or stamped a watermark on my photo.”
A new account gets 30 free credits once, with no card and no watermark, enough for a few upscales.
“Nobody can tell me how to improve resolution of a photo that is already soft.”
Mild softness comes out clearer at the larger size, but heavy blur is not fixed and there are no deblur controls.
“AI upscaling looks smooth and fake, especially on faces.”
Drag the compare slider to judge the result before you download, or pick the gentler 2×; artifacts can still show up.
“I scanned an old print and can't work out how to improve photo resolution.”
Enlarge the scan 2× or 4× for more pixels and sharper detail, but scratches and color fading are not repaired.
Sign up with email and get 30 free credits, once, with no credit card. A failed job returns its credits automatically.
Pick 2× for 10 credits or 4× for 20, or pick a target such as Full HD, 4K, 8K or 16K and the tool chooses 2× or 4× for you. Targets your photo cannot reach are greyed out, with the largest size it can reach shown next to them. Aspect ratio is always kept.
Drag the compare slider to check the result against the original. Then download a PNG or JPG, with 72 or 300 DPI written into the file. If you are unsure how to enhance photo resolution without changing the look, run a 2× first and compare it.
| Full HD 1080p | 1920 px | 480 px | 960 px |
|---|
| 2K | 2560 px | 640 px | 1280 px |
|---|
| 4K | 3840 px | 960 px | 1920 px |
|---|
| 8K | 7680 px | 1920 px | 3840 px |
|---|
| 16K | 15,360 px | 3840 px | Not reachable |
|---|
| 4 by 6 inch print, 300 DPI | 1800 px | 450 px | 900 px |
|---|
| 8 by 10 inch print, 300 DPI | 3000 px | 750 px | 1500 px |
|---|
| 11 by 14 inch print, 300 DPI | 4200 px | 1050 px | 2100 px |
|---|
| 16 by 20 inch print, 300 DPI | 6000 px | 1500 px | 3000 px |
|---|
| 24 by 36 inch poster, 300 DPI | 10,800 px | 2700 px | Not reachable |
|---|
A source smaller than the row falls short of that target, and the tool greys it out and shows the largest size your photo can reach. Uploads are capped at 3840 px on the long edge, so 15,360 px is the ceiling. The print size helper does this arithmetic for you and says whether 2× or 4× gets there.