How to Restore Old Photos: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026)
Prepare a scan, try restoration on a working copy, and review faces and details before sharing or printing. Includes 43frames controls and credit costs.
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Restoring an old photo starts with protecting what you already have. Make a digital copy, decide what you want to improve, and compare every edited version with the original. AI may reduce visible damage, but it can also change a face or invent a detail.
This guide separates physical-photo care from digital editing. It also explains the actual restoration controls in 43frames; there is no guaranteed completion time or fixed number of usable results.
When the scan is stored, restore old photos online on a working copy and compare every result with that scan.
1. Make a digital copy without damaging the print
Use a flatbed for a loose photo that fits safely on the glass. For an album or bound item, the National Archives digitization guidance recommends a supported camera setup rather than forcing it flat. Avoid an automatic feeder for fragile originals. Keep the physical photo after scanning.
The Library of Congress scanning guide suggests 400 or 600 DPI for photographs intended for enlargement to 8×10 inches or more. The right setting depends on the original and your intended output; higher resolution does not repair existing blur.
See how to scan old photos for handling, file copies and backup steps. Do not rub or clean a fragile photographic surface as part of a generic scanning routine.
2. Preserve the scan and choose one task
Save the unedited scan with a name such as family-portrait-original. Make a separate working copy before changing color, contrast or damage. If your scanner produces TIFF, keep that file; create a supported upload copy for an online tool.
Choose what needs attention: visible scratches, faded color, a small image, or an unclear face. These are different problems. There is no universal repair order that guarantees the best result, and repeated AI passes can compound changes.
3. Try restoration in 43frames
Open photo restoration, sign in or create an account, then upload a working copy. The tool accepts JPEG, PNG and WebP files up to 10 MB each.
Each restoration repairs scratches, cracks, dust, stains and fading and returns a sharper, high-resolution copy (4800 pixels on the long side). It is designed to keep the people, background, framing and original colors as they are; it's AI, so compare every face with your scan. The one option is:
- Add color: off by default. Turn it on to colorize a black-and-white or sepia photo for 2 more credits.
Review the total before processing. Restoration costs 8 credits per image, or 10 with Add color; new accounts receive 10 starter credits once, enough for one photo, with no card required. See pricing for one-time packs.
After processing, compare the result with your saved scan. Look closely at eyes, teeth, expressions, clothing, writing and background objects. A successful download does not mean the reconstruction is historically accurate.
4. Enlarge or colorize only if your task needs it
Restoration already returns a high-resolution copy. If you need even more pixels, upscaling is a separate operation with its own 2-credit cost. Check the result after each operation; do not add a step simply because it is available.
If you want color, turn on Add color. Treat generated colors as an interpretation unless you have independent evidence for them; they are not a recovery of the original scene's colors.
Keep the person recognizable
Ask someone familiar with the person to compare the versions. If a generated face looks different, keep the original or use a more suitable editing approach. Another AI pass does not guarantee a correction.
5. Download, label and check before printing
Download the available result from the tool. 43frames does not offer a TIFF or archival-format export selector. Converting a downloaded file to another format in an editor does not restore lost source detail.
Keep the scan and edited result separately, label the edited version when sharing family-history material, and back up both. For a print, check the requested pixel dimensions and crop with the printer and inspect a sample before ordering a large copy. Our upscaling guide explains the pixel-size calculation.
For taking a new portrait, see professional headshots at home.
FAQ
Can old photos be restored without the negatives? A scan of a print can be used for digital editing. Results depend on the source and damage; an AI tool cannot guarantee reconstruction of missing information.
Will restoration change my relative's face? It can. Compare facial features with the original and keep the scan unchanged. Reject an edited version if it misrepresents the person.
Does 43frames colorize black-and-white photos? Only if you ask. Restoration keeps the original colors by default; its optional Add color setting colorizes the photo, and those colors are an interpretation, not a historical record.