How to Improve Photo Quality with AI: Topaz Upscale up to 4×
How to improve photo quality with AI online: Topaz upscaling up to 4×, six modes, face enhancement, old photo restoration and common mistakes.
Improving photo quality with AI means increasing resolution, removing noise and compression artifacts and recovering fine detail without changing the picture itself. In the IIshki studio this is done by Topaz Photo Upscale: upload a JPEG, PNG or WebP up to 4000 pixels, choose 2× or 4× and one of six modes, no prompt needed. If the photo is torn, faded or black and white, the next step is Nano Banana Pro: it restores and colorizes the image from a description, but redraws the frame. Below: which Topaz mode fits which source, a step-by-step guide and the mistakes that make results look plastic.
What “improve photo quality” means and what AI can do
People use the same phrase for three different jobs, and each needs a different tool.
- Increase resolution. A small image from a messenger or an old phone has to be bigger: for print, a cover, a product card. That is upscaling.
- Remove blur and noise. The photo was shot in the dark or crushed by a social network: JPEG blocks, color noise, soft edges. This is also an upscaler job, since it includes denoising.
- Restore an old print. Creases, stains, faded colors, a black-and-white card from a family album. Upscaling alone is not enough here: you need a model that fills in what is lost.
The key difference is whether the AI redraws the frame. The Topaz upscaler works with the original pixels: composition, faces and text stay the same, only sharpness and detail are added. A generative model like Nano Banana Pro creates the image again from a reference: it can do more, but may slightly change facial features or small objects.
Which AI to choose for photo enhancement
| Task | Model | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Enlarge a photo 2–4× without changes | Topaz Photo Upscale | Does not redraw the frame, 2× or 4× |
| Rescue a blurry image from a messenger | Topaz, “Small source” mode | Built for small, soft images |
| Make text, logos or diagrams readable | Topaz, “Text and graphics” mode | A dedicated mode for letters and lines |
| Restore a torn or faded photo | Nano Banana Pro | Fills in damaged areas from a prompt, up to 4K |
| Colorize a black-and-white photo | Nano Banana Pro | Adds color from a description, keeps composition from the reference |
| Redraw a photo cleaner while keeping details | GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst | Reference-based editing, up to 4K |
| Improve video quality, not a photo | Topaz Video Upscale | Up to 4K, denoising, clips up to 60 seconds |
A broader list of tools for editing photos is in the roundup on AI photo editing.
Topaz modes: which one fits your photo
The model card has six modes. The mode matters more than the scale factor, so pick it by the source.
| Mode | Use it for | Example source |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose | Most ordinary photos | Phone shot in normal light |
| Small source | Small, blurry images | Avatar, screenshot, photo from a chat |
| Maximum detail | Good sources where texture matters | Camera portrait, product shot |
| 3D and renders | CGI, renders, illustrations | Image from a generator, 3D scene |
| Text and graphics | Lettering, logos, diagrams | Scanned document, infographic |
| Restoration | Damaged and heavily compressed photos | Crushed JPEG, scan of an old print |
There is also an “Enhance faces” toggle (on by default) and a choice of output format: JPEG or PNG.
How to improve photo quality with AI: 5 steps
1. Open the model
Go to the Topaz Photo Upscale card. Sign in with Telegram, email, Google or Yandex ID.
2. Upload the photo
JPEG, PNG and WebP up to 25 MB and up to 4000 pixels on either side are accepted. If the source is larger, shrink it first: a photo that is already big rarely needs 4×.
3. Choose the scale
2× is for screens, social media and product cards. 4× is for print and small sources: an 800-pixel image becomes 3200.
4. Pick the mode
Use the table above. Not sure? Start with “All-purpose”, and go straight to “Restoration” for compressed or torn photos. If there are faces, keep “Enhance faces” on.
5. Run and compare
No prompt is needed. The file lands in “My creations”, and if your account is linked to Telegram, the bot sends it too. Open the result at full size and compare it with the source at 100 %: that is where unwanted detail shows up.
Old photos: upscale first, then restore
Family photos work best with two models in a row (for an overview of tools, see the roundup on AI photo restoration).
- Topaz first, in “Restoration” mode at 2×. It cleans scan noise and artifacts, and the faces stay the same people.
- Then Nano Banana Pro, if creases, stains or missing color remain. Upload the result as a reference and describe the fix. Be specific and say what to keep:
Restore this old photo: remove creases, stains and scratches, rebuild the missing edges. Keep the faces, poses, clothing and composition unchanged. Natural 1970s film colors, soft daylight.
Colorize this black-and-white portrait in natural colors: warm skin tone, dark blond hair, a blue dress, a light background. Do not change the facial features or expression.
More reference-editing phrasing is in our Nano Banana Pro prompts guide. A restored photo can also be brought to life as a short video; see how to animate a photo with AI.
Common mistakes when enhancing photos
| Mistake | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Skin looks like plastic | “Enhance faces” pushed an old, very soft face too far | Turn the toggle off or use “Maximum detail” |
| Odd patterns in the background | “Small source” mode on an already good photo | Switch to “All-purpose” or “Maximum detail” |
| Text is still mush | The default mode is not tuned for lettering | Use “Text and graphics” |
| Upload fails | Over 4000 pixels or 25 MB | Shrink the photo before uploading |
| The face looks slightly different | Restoration was done with a generative model | Run Topaz first; use Nano Banana only for damage |
| Heavy blur did not go away | Camera-shake blur barely recovers | Use another frame from the series or reshoot |
| JPEG loses detail on further edits | Repeated compression | Choose PNG output |
What next
- Need a clip, not a photo: the same approach works for video with Topaz Video Upscale, up to 4K, with modes for compressed or noisy footage.
- Want to change the photo rather than improve it (background, clothing, light): see AI photo editing and the comparison GPT Image 2 vs Nano Banana Pro.
- Want a “restore → colorize → animate” chain in one place: build it on the canvas.
The price of each run is shown on the model card. No subscription is needed: tokens are bought once, and if a generation fails because of the model, they are refunded automatically.
Don't want to fiddle with prompts?
Ready-made scenes: upload your photo and get the result in one click.
Models in this article
Frequently asked questions
Which AI is best for improving photo quality?
If you want a sharper, larger image without changing what is in it, use Topaz Photo Upscale: it increases resolution 2× or 4×, removes noise and compression artifacts and does not redraw the frame. If the photo is badly damaged, faded or needs color, use Nano Banana Pro: it redraws the image from a prompt, but may slightly change small details.
Can I improve photo quality with AI for free?
Not completely: every run in the IIshki studio costs tokens, and the exact price is shown on the model card. If an upscale fails because of the model, the tokens are refunded automatically. You can buy tokens once, without a subscription.
Do I need a prompt to upscale a photo?
No. Topaz Photo Upscale works without a prompt: upload the image, choose 2× or 4× and a mode that matches the source, then run it. A prompt is only needed for restoration and colorizing in Nano Banana Pro.
What photo size can I upload?
JPEG, PNG or WebP up to 25 MB and up to 4000 pixels in width or height. The result is saved as JPEG or PNG; pick PNG if the image goes on to further editing or print.
Will the AI change the face in my photo?
Topaz does not redraw the frame, so the face stays the same person. The “Enhance faces” toggle is on by default and carefully sharpens eyes, skin and hair; if a face on an old photo looks too smooth, turn it off and run again.
Every model in this roundup is available in the IIshki studio at reduced club prices. Club members get tokens for generations every month.
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