Overview

PhotoRestore is an online AI tool for restoring old family photographs. It fixes tears, scratches and fading, adds natural colour to black-and-white photos and can enlarge images, usually in about a minute. A distinctive feature is face protection: the restoration is asked to leave faces as they are, so the people in your photos still look like themselves.

How it works

Add a photo from your gallery or take a picture of the print with your phone. You can upload up to ten photos at once in JPG, PNG, WebP or HEIC format, up to 10 MB each. PhotoRestore then repairs damage, gently enhances, adds colour or enlarges, which usually takes 30 to 90 seconds. Finally, download a full-size PNG or create a before-and-after picture to share with family on WhatsApp or elsewhere.

Tools

The restoration studio includes five tools: restore, enhance, colourise, upscale 2x and remove background. If a face has been changed in a way you do not like, you can tap it to put the original face back. The site is clear that added colours are an interpretation, not a record of the original colours.

Privacy

Photos are automatically deleted after 24 hours, and results come without watermarks or ads.

Pricing

Each edit uses one credit, and downloads are free. The Free plan gives two credits each calendar month, access to all five tools, face protection and PNG downloads without watermarks. Plus costs $9 a month for 40 credits and adds photo queues and ZIP downloads. Archive costs $19 a month for 120 credits for larger family collections. Renewal can be cancelled anytime, and prices are in US dollars plus applicable taxes.

Who it suits

PhotoRestore suits families digitising albums, people preparing photos for anniversaries, memorials or reunions, and family historians.

Things to consider

Scan or photograph prints in good, even light without glare for the best results. Keep the original scans, as AI restoration may invent small details in heavily damaged areas. Treat colourised images as artistic interpretations, particularly in genealogy work.

Restored photos make thoughtful gifts, and the before-and-after view helps relatives see the work involved.