Old photos carry precious memories and history, but as time goes by, photos are prone to fading, damage, or blurring.
Restoring old photographs is not only a way to preserve memories, but also a means of cultural heritage. Through proper restoration, the value of photographs can be extended, historical images can be restored to their former glory, and precious family memories and historical culture can be preserved.
This article explains what you should be aware of when restoring old photos, and introduces free tools like Capcut, MyEdit, and YouCam that can easily restore old photos and bring them back to life.
Follow the steps in this article and choose the right tools to breathe new life into your old photos, preserving their precious memories and value.
ChromaLuxe Metal Photo helps you preserve your restorations over time
The purpose of restoring old photos is not only to make the images clear, but also to freeze those times that carry memories into memories that will never fade.
Since 2021, we've been involved in the restoration of vintage photographs, accumulating extensive practical experience. From scanning and restoration to output, we adhere to the highest standards at every step. In particular, we transform restored images into ChromaLuxe metal prints , significantly extending their lifespan and creating a truly enduring legacy.
Many of our clients' family travel records, grandparents' photos, and treasured childhood photos have been restored to their former glory with our help. Those yellowed paper photos have now been given a new coat of high-quality metal, not only recreating the details but also resisting the erosion of time.
We’ve witnessed families gathered around metal photographs, pointing at the images and reminiscing about the past. In that moment, the photograph becomes more than just an image; it becomes a time machine, transporting people back to the past and awakening deep emotions.
Next, we’ll share our years of restoration experience and practical reviews of free photo retouching tools to help you choose the right restoration methods and tools to breathe new life into your precious photos.
Key tips: Steps to restore old photos
Based on our years of experience, we believe that when restoring old photos, we should follow the steps below and list the things that need to be paid attention to in order to ensure the best restoration effect of old photos.
1. Digital processing
There are roughly two ways to digitize old photos: using a camera or scanning equipment to convert physical photos into digital format for easy subsequent restoration.
a. Take a photo using the camera
- Suitable for situations where there is no scanning device on hand.
- Operation suggestions
- From mobile phones to professional cameras, taking photos is a way to digitize old photos.
- In addition to the optical properties of the equipment itself, which determine the resolution of digital files of old photos, the light quality and shooting angle during shooting are also decisive factors.
- When taking photos, you should do so in an environment with sufficient lighting, soft and even light source, and keep the lens and the photo level for the best shooting effect.
b. Scan device scan
- Suitable for scenarios where high-resolution digital files are required.
- Operation suggestions
- Use a high-resolution scanner designed specifically for scanning photos to scan photos for the best digitization results.
- Although three-in-one MFPs used at home or in the office also have scanning functions, the scanning results are often less than ideal because the contrast of the scan is too large, making it difficult to clearly present the original details of the photo.
Important reminder
- The scanning result is the most important basic point in old photo restoration. If the digitized image file cannot present the original details of the old photo, it will be more difficult to restore it using photo editing software later.
- We can also understand it this way: using the same method to restore the same photo, the more details in the original digital image file, the clearer the image quality, and the higher the number of pictures, the higher the quality of the digital image file. The restoration result will definitely be more satisfactory than the same old photo, but restored with a lower-quality digital image file!
2. Digital image file repair
a. Remove paper photo defects
- Scratches, mildew spots, and stains need to be repaired using professional software.
- Recommended tools : Tools such as CapCut, MyEdit, and YouCam have AI capabilities that can automatically remove blemishes.
- Although it may not be noticeable at first glance, after old photos are digitized, the images will actually have a lot of scratches, mildew spots, stains and dust spots that need to be repaired.
- Of course, if there are scratches, tears, stains and dust that are obviously visible to the naked eye, then it is even more necessary to handle them properly to restore the old photos to their original appearance!
Using professional photo editing software is the most appropriate option. However, due to the rapid development of AI technology in recent years, even free software can produce excellent results. The second half of this article will introduce different photo editing programs and provide practical test results.
b. Improve clarity
- Old photos are often blurry and blurry, but AI technology can be used to enhance the details.
- Recommendation : Test multiple tools to avoid over-sharpening and image distortion.
- Old photos are analog photographs. By today's digital image standards, they often have a hazy and soft beauty. If you zoom in, the clarity is insufficient.
- Fortunately, we can use AI technology to improve the blurry parts of photos and enhance details and image quality.
- Although many photo editing software uses AI technology and emphasizes one-click clarity, it is still necessary to compare the effects of different software modifications to avoid AI over-modification, which will make the image look weird the more you look!
c. Portrait Optimization
- Perform detailed repair on the face, emphasize the three-dimensional sense of facial features, and restore the true appearance.
- We believe this is the best contribution of AI technology to old photo restoration.
- Because each app has different AI technology and its calculation method is also very different, the results after repair will also be different. We will explain the actual test in the second half of the article.
d. Color correction
- Correct faded or color-cast images and restore the original tones of your photos.
- Based on our experience in restoring old photos, if the original photo has an easily recognizable environment, such as a blue sky or white clouds, the color adjustment result will be more satisfactory!
- It should be noted that these color adjustments are made by photo editing software based on calculation data, and most of them cannot truly present the original colors of the original photos (honestly, we have no way of knowing what the original colors of the original photos are, and can only judge based on common sense and experience).
e. Coloring
- Add true color to black and white photos to make images more vivid and lively.
- If you want to restore specific colors (such as the colors of traditional clothing) on old photos, neither free nor paid software can achieve this. Special manual processing is required, so it is beyond the scope of this article.
3. Storage and backup
After the restoration is complete, save it in a high-resolution format and make a backup to ensure long-term preservation.
Once you have saved and backed up your photos, it will be very convenient for you to provide them to professional photo printing centers when needed in the future to create precious memories.
What is a high-resolution format? Here's a simple calculation: Using the printed centimeters (cm) x 118, we can get a high-resolution image file that can be directly printed later.
For example:
- If a restored photo is to be printed as a 60×40cm physical photo in the future, the required image size is 7080 x 4720 px (60x118=7080; 40x118=4720).
Test and experience: Free old photo restoration tool
A quick Google search revealed several free online tools for restoring old photos, touted as simple and efficient. Intrigued, we tried five different tools based on the results, and now share our findings with you.
To minimize risks to computer security and minimize the use of computer memory and performance, we only searched for and tested resources that offer direct online photo editing capabilities without requiring software downloads .
Measurement method description
Key points of actual measurement
- Is it free to use?
- Is there a limit on the output file size after photo restoration?
- The restoration effect is the most important, but also subjective, so we provide pictures for you to compare and evaluate
Old photos used in testing
We did not use sample photos from various companies, but instead used the same old photo for testing, which made it easier to compare the restoration results. The following is the old photo we actually used for testing.
- We use professional photo scanners to digitize old photos
- The original file has a long side of 6000px, which is more than enough to print a photo with a length of 50cm (6000/118=50.8cm).
A detailed review of five online apps
Below, we'll introduce the following five online application interfaces one by one, along with practical experience, the results of photo editing, and our recommended rankings. We hope this will be helpful for everyone looking for free old photo restoration programs and online resources.
- CapCut
- YouCam
- MyEdit
- Fotor
- PicWish
Rank 1️⃣ CapCut (Click to read detailed review)
Developer: ByteDance, China
Features:
- Free to use: Yes (registration required)
- Output size: can output large size images
- Repair effect: Good
Photo restoration related functions:
- Restoration of old photos
- AI color correction
- Photo Shader
Operation experience:
- Multi-platform support, providing comprehensive video and photo editing functions
- The interface is complex, and you must find the corresponding page before uploading the image.
- Click "Magic Tools" → "Old Photo Restore" to turn on the function
- After you get started, there are a variety of functions to choose from
Repair effect:
- Noise removal: Although it is not possible to remove all the noise, the effect is already very good.
- Background restoration: no unnatural connection, no distortion, the overall effect is acceptable
-
The protagonist's repair ability:
- Face: Portraits are natural, clear but not overly sharp
- Clothes: The restoration effect of the clothes is natural, but some details are lost (for example, the original details of the yellow sweater are gone)
Use CapCut's "Old Photo Restoration" function to compare before and after restoration
Rank 2️⃣ YouCam (click to read detailed review)
Development Company
- Perfect Mobile Corp., Taiwan
Features
- Free use: Limited free (registration required). Register to exchange points and experience 1-2 free photo editing.
- Output size: can output large size images
- Repair effect: OK
Photo restoration related functions
- Photo quality restoration
- AI color correction
Operation experience
- Simple operation, not too many options
- Friendly user experience, suitable for novices
- Can be completed with one click
Repair effect
- Noise Removal <br>Some large noise cannot be removed, the effect is medium
-
Background Repair
Some backgrounds produce strange images, and the overall effect is mediocre -
The protagonist's repair ability:
Face: The portrait effect is good, not oversharpened Clothes: The clothing restoration effect is mixed, such as the tie part is blurred and unnatural; the details of the yellow shirt are well restored
Use YouCam's "Repair Old Photos" function to compare before and after restoration
Rank 3️⃣ MyEdit (click to read detailed review)
Development Company
- CyberLink, Taiwan
Features
- Free use: limited free (registration required). Daily login can earn points in exchange for free services.
- Output size: can output large size images
- Repair effect: OK
Photo restoration related functions
- Image quality restoration
- Image enlargement
- Photo blur repair
- Denoising
Operation experience
- Rich generative AI capabilities
- Four clear editing options
- Easy to use, friendly user experience
Repair effect
- Noise Removal <br>Many noises were not removed, and creases were produced that were not in the original image
-
Background Repair
Some backgrounds produce strange images and creases -
The protagonist's repair ability:
Face: The portrait is too sharp and somewhat distorted. Clothes: The restoration of the clothes is mixed, for example, some areas of the tie are blurred and unnatural; the details of the yellow shirt are well restored.
Use MyEdit's "Image Quality Restoration" function to compare before and after restoration
🌐 Fotor (click to read the detailed review)
Development Company
- Chengdu Hengtu Technology Co., Ltd., China
Features
- Free use: Enter your credit card and enjoy 7 days of free use
- Output size: - (Note)
- Repair effect: - (Note)
(Note) We do not provide credit information, so we cannot try it out.
Photo restoration related functions
- AI Photo Restoration
- Remove back
- Coloring and other functions
Operation experience
- No operation
🌐 PicWish (click to read detailed review)
Development Company
- Shenzhen Wangxu Technology Co., Ltd., China
Features
- Free use: Enter your credit card and enjoy 7 days of free use
- Output size: - (Note)
- Repair effect: - (Note)
(Note) We do not provide credit information, so we cannot try it out.
Photo restoration related functions
- Remove back
- Remove watermark
- Clear blurry photos
Operation experience
- No operation
Summary of the evaluation
Old photo restoration effect
- CapCut performs well in terms of noise removal, background restoration, and main character restoration. Although there is room for improvement in the restoration of clothing details, the key point is that the important portrait can be rendered naturally. We believe that it meets the restoration effect we want to achieve when restoring old photos.
- MyEdit and YouCam provide a medium level of repair capabilities. Although they are slightly lacking in detail processing, they are still usable tools.
Free use
- CapCut is free to use, no credit card required, and no usage restrictions, in line with the spirit of true free use.
-
MyEdit can be used for free by logging in every day. For friends who want to use free software, we recommend CapCut and MyEdit.
Operational convenience
- CapCut has many functions and is relatively complex. It takes some time to get familiar with each function and screen when you first start using it.
- The interfaces of MyEdit and YouCam are much simpler and very easy to operate.
- If you have high requirements for the repair effect, CapCut is recommended; if you need a simple and fast repair solution, MyEdit and YouCam are good choices.
Restoring old photos isn't just a technical challenge; it's also about preserving precious memories. With the right restoration techniques and free tools like CapCut, MyEdit, or YouCam, you can easily breathe new life into your old photos and restore their original glory.
As we've tested, the free version of the tool isn't capable of detailed repairs, so the results will likely be subpar. If you require more precise repairs, we recommend opting for professional services to ensure the best quality.
New proposal: Old photo restoration and reproduction, done in one go
As a specialized manufacturer of metal photos, we do not provide simple old photo restoration services because we believe that memories worth preserving should not only be stored in computers, but should be actually printed out and placed in our daily spaces to enrich our lives and memories.
Therefore, the service we provide is a comprehensive "Old Photo Restoration + Old Photo Reproduction" service:
- Help you preserve historical memories intact and present them in a new form
- Use professional scanning hardware and software to perform high-resolution scanning
- Use professional photo editing software to perform AI or add manual repair
- Professional metal photo output
- Purchase high-resolution digital files to digitize your precious old photos
Restoration of Weisi Image (before color shift correction)
After further adjusting the color shift and reducing the effects of fading, we print the digital image into a metallic photo, allowing precious memories to be preserved forever!
Details of the reproduced old photos
Size details:
Photo size: 29.2 x 25.5cm (center of image)
Metal frame: 31.4 x 27.4cm (external dimensions)
Metal Photo: The four corners of the work will have a 1/8" radius
Frame name : Golden "double-layer three-dimensional aluminum frame"
Metal frame: side height 4cm, front width 0.6cm
The artwork is suspended: approximately 0.5cm from the frame, and the height of the suspension is approximately 0.4cm lower than the frame.
Back of the aluminum frame: You can see that there is a double-layer frame, and the inner frame is silver.
Feel free to contact us now, or read more about restoration techniques and cases to ensure your precious memories are passed down forever!
