Preserve the scan before restoration

Save an unmodified scan as the master. If you can scan the photograph again, remove loose surface dust carefully, avoid glare and capture enough pixels for the intended display. A screenshot of a small preview loses information before the restoration tool even begins.

Keep filenames that distinguish the master, restored copy and colourized interpretation. Do not overwrite handwritten dates or meaningful marks without retaining a version that contains them. Restoration can improve presentation while changing evidence about the original object.

Create the automatic first draft

Old Photo Restoration accepts JPG, PNG and WebP up to 20 MB and 12 MP, with no side above 6000 pixels. Choose the file, then run the automatic restoration. The first result addresses fading, grain and existing visible detail; it is not a reconstruction of a known original scene.

Compare before and after. A brighter result can be easier to read while also making skin too smooth or contrast too strong. Use the correction controls after the first draft to reduce unwanted changes. Do not assume that the automatic setting is right merely because the photo looks more modern.

Treat faces and texture with restraint

Inspect eyes, hair, clothing and fine handwriting at a useful zoom. Detail enhancement can emphasize what remains, but it cannot certify newly visible-looking features as historically accurate. If a face becomes harsh or a fabric develops halos, reduce the detail treatment.

Denoising has the same trade-off. A cleaner surface may remove grain along with genuine fine texture. Start moderately and compare against the scan. The aim is a useful copy, not a uniformly smooth picture at the expense of recognizable detail.

Repair scratches separately

Brush over a small damaged area rather than a broad part of the photograph. Local scratch repair estimates replacement content from surrounding pixels. Compare each pass and undo a correction that creates an obvious repeat or damages an important edge.

Optional neural reconstruction uses a separate local model bundled in this complete package. Allow time for its first browser load; the advanced mode is not evidence that the original missing content has been recovered. If the model is unavailable, use the local mode offered and leave larger missing areas for a suitable specialist process.

Enlarge and colourize only when useful

Upscaling increases output dimensions but also increases memory use and can expose artifacts. Start with the smallest useful enlargement and inspect the face again. A restored web copy may not need the same size as a print intended for close viewing.

Colourization is a separate interpretation. Predicted clothing, skin or background colours may differ from reality. If family knowledge gives you a better clothing colour, use the colour-replacement controls and label the result as a colourized copy. Keep the grayscale scan available alongside it.

Preserve restoration provenance

Keep the original scan, a restored copy and any colourized version separately. A reconstruction can produce plausible facial detail or writing without verifying it. Avoid describing an estimated repair as a historically exact restoration.

When correction changes the result substantially, record the affected area and method in your own archive notes. Use smaller scratch selections and Undo when a texture looks smeared. A missing or unavailable neural model must not be described as having completed reconstruction.