How to Restore Old Photos with AI

What Goes Wrong with Old Photos

Print photographs degrade in predictable ways. After 20–40 years, you typically see one or more of:

• Yellowing or color shift — silver halide and dyes oxidize over time
• Scratches and creases — physical handling, especially in albums
• Water stains — basement and attic storage are notorious
• Tape and glue marks — when photos were mounted in scrapbooks
• Burned-in date stamps — "1987 06 12" in orange digital text on the corner
• Low resolution — old phone scans or 1990s digital cameras (1–2 MP)

The Two-Step AI Restoration Workflow

For best results, do two passes:

Step 1: Inpaint to remove damage

Use the watermark remover to clear out scratches, stains, and date stamps. Despite the name, the same AI inpainting model works for any kind of unwanted mark — it doesn't care whether the artifact is a watermark or a coffee stain.

• Draw selections over each scratch, stain, or date stamp
• For long thin scratches, draw a slightly thicker box than the scratch itself
• Submit and download

Step 2: Upscale to recover detail

If the original scan or photo is low resolution, run it through the AI upscaler at 2x or 4x. This reconstructs sharp edges, recovers some texture, and makes the photo printable at modern sizes.

Common Restoration Recipes

Family photo with date stamp

Inpaint the orange date text, then upscale 2x. The result looks like a modern phone photo of the same scene.

Album photo with tape stains

Inpaint each tape strip individually with a slightly oversized selection. Some yellow shadow may persist where tape sat for decades — multiple smaller passes work better than one large box.

Scratched portrait

Tricky if scratches cross faces. The AI may invent face details that look unnatural. Tip: only inpaint scratches outside the face, then upscale. Leave minor face scratches — viewers focus on eyes and expression, not skin texture.

What AI Restoration Cannot Do

• Recover information that's gone. If half a face is torn off, AI invents a plausible face — not the original
• Add color to black and white. Different model — try Replicate's DeOldify or Hotpot AI for that
• Fix major focus blur. Upscalers sharpen, but they cannot resolve content that was never recorded

Print or Share Your Restored Photos

After restoration, the photo is typically 1500–3000 pixels on the long edge — enough for 8x10" prints, framed gifts, or a family digital album. For larger prints, run the upscaler at 4x or 8x.