How to restore a family photo with AI
An old family photo has scratches, but you still want it to look like the person you remember. Work on a copy, repair damage gently and keep the untouched scan.
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Restore a photo while protecting the original
Scan and protect the original photo
Scan and protect the original photo.
Example: Scan the wedding photo at a suitable resolution and save the original file before cropping or repairing it.
Fotor
Restore a copy of the photo
Improve the brightness of this family photo while keeping a copy of the original.
Fotor
Compare the repaired features with the source
Open the your tool restoration in your tool and compare the eyes, glasses and hands with the original scan; undo repairs that change identity.
Save a separate restoration for family review
Save a separate restoration for family review.
Example: Save the repaired wedding portrait under a new filename and show a relative the before-and-after versions before printing.
Other tools for this task
Adobe Photoshop
Photo editing
Edit pictures and fill or expand image areas with generative AI.
Before you restore a family photo
Can AI recover a face that is missing?
It may invent plausible detail rather than recover history; label substantial reconstruction clearly.
Should I colorize the photo?
Treat colorization as an interpretation and keep a black-and-white restoration too.
What if the paper photo is fragile?
Handle it carefully and consider a photo conservator before attempting physical cleaning or repair.