Do you use generative AI to invent details?

No. We don't let generative AI make up faces, objects or textures that were never in your photo. The engine works with what the image already contains: it adds color and, when you ask, repairs scratches, reduces blur and improves faces. The aim is a result that stays as close as possible to the real photograph.

How accurate are the colors?

They're the model's best estimate from what's in the picture. Skin, sky, foliage and wood usually look natural, but it can't know that a dress was blue or a car was red. Treat the result as a lifelike interpretation, not a historical record, and keep your original scan.

What does it cost after the free photo?

You buy credits in one-off packs, so no subscription is required; if you colorize often, there's also an optional monthly Pro plan. Adding color to a photo costs 1 credit; improving faces or removing scratches adds 2 credits each. The exact cost is shown before you order, and previews never use credits.

Will you use my photos to train AI?

Never. Your photos are used only to create your result. We do not use them to train models, and we do not sell or share them.

Can I restore many photos at once?

Yes. Drag in a folder or a ZIP file, up to 60 photos at a time, and download them one by one or all together as a ZIP. The work happens on our servers, so with an account you can close the page and find the results in your account later.

Where are my photos stored, and for how long?

On servers in the European Union. Without an account, uploads and results are deleted after about 24 hours; with an account, after about 7 days. You can delete any photo sooner from your account. Nightly backups may keep copies of photos and results for about 14 days after the backup is made, even if you delete a photo sooner.

Is there a mobile app?

Yes, for iPhone and Android. It adds a camera scanner that straightens prints and removes glare, and it uses the same account, credits and engine as the website.

Free to try · No account needed

They didn't live in black and white

Drop in an old black-and-white photo and see it in natural, lifelike color. The preview is free, and a free account adds your first full-resolution download.

Free watermarked preview, no account needed
First full-resolution photo free with an account, then 1 credit per colorized photo
Processed in the EU and never used to train AI

Drag your photos here

Or choose files from your device — folders and .zip files work too.

JPG, PNG, WEBP, TIFF and ZIP supported

Try it free. Previews need no account: smaller, with a watermark. A free account gives you 3 previews and your first full-resolution photo on us.

Create free account →

Free preview

Full-resolution downloads

Folders and ZIP files

Processed in the EU

Never used to train AI

Real photographs, real results

Every pair is a public-domain photograph run through our own engine, from a 1920 power-house mechanic to a Tokyo street in 1970. Drag any slider to compare.

The same 1945 wedding photo straightened, repaired and colorized with warm, natural tones — 1945 wedding — A creased, scratched 1945 wedding photo — straightened, repaired and colorized

A skewed, scratched black-and-white 1945 wedding photograph of a couple in a doorway — 1945 wedding — A creased, scratched 1945 wedding photo — straightened, repaired and colorized

The same 1920 mechanic colorized: warm skin tones against gunmetal machinery and brass pipes — Power-house mechanic, 1920 — Lewis Hine's iconic machinist, colorized — skin, steel and brass each finding their own tone

Black-and-white 1920 photograph of a mechanic bent over a steam pump with a wrench — Power-house mechanic, 1920 — Lewis Hine's iconic machinist, colorized — skin, steel and brass each finding their own tone

The same 1946 street colorized, with bright parked cars, green hillside trees and warm wooden buildings — Wheelwright street, 1946 — Parked cars, hillside trees and a company-town street brought back in color

Black-and-white 1946 photograph of a Wheelwright, Kentucky street lined with parked cars and a parking sign — Wheelwright street, 1946 — Parked cars, hillside trees and a company-town street brought back in color

The same 1946 company store colorized, with red shelving, bright product labels and warm interior light — Company store, 1946 — A Wheelwright, Kentucky store interior, colorized with vivid shelves and warm counter light

Black-and-white 1946 photograph inside the U.S. Coal and Coke company store in Wheelwright, Kentucky — Company store, 1946 — A Wheelwright, Kentucky store interior, colorized with vivid shelves and warm counter light

The same Amoy portrait repaired, colorized and face-protected with natural tones — Amoy portrait, c.1867 — Scratched glass-plate portrait repaired and colorized while keeping the face intact

A scratched black-and-white glass-plate portrait of a seated woman in Amoy, China — Amoy portrait, c.1867 — Scratched glass-plate portrait repaired and colorized while keeping the face intact

The same Fortepan portrait repaired and colorized with natural skin tones and protected face details — Girl, 1971 — Scratched Fortepan portrait cleaned, colorized and kept natural around the face details

A scratched black-and-white portrait of a young girl in front of a window from the Fortepan collection — Girl, 1971 — Scratched Fortepan portrait cleaned, colorized and kept natural around the face details

The same 1940 picnic colorized: green grass, denim overalls and warm afternoon light — Fair-day picnic, 1940 — A homesteader and his children at the Pie Town, New Mexico fair — barbecue plates on the grass

Black-and-white 1940 photograph of a father and five children eating barbecue on the grass beside parked cars — Fair-day picnic, 1940 — A homesteader and his children at the Pie Town, New Mexico fair — barbecue plates on the grass

The same 1970 Tokyo street colorized, with natural signage, cars and sky — Tokyo street, 1970 — A 1970 Tokyo street, colorized

A black-and-white 1970 photograph of a Tokyo street with cars and shop signs — Tokyo street, 1970 — A 1970 Tokyo street, colorized

The same 1965 family photo colorized, with 1960s clothing colors and warm skin tones — Family photo, 1965 — A 1965 family gathering, colorized

A black-and-white 1965 family photograph gathered around a birthday cake — Family photo, 1965 — A 1965 family gathering, colorized

The same Alpine photochrom with its color revived — a green valley beneath snow-capped peaks — The Bernese Alps — An 1890s photochrom of the Eiger, color revived

A faded 1890s photochrom of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau in the Bernese Alps — The Bernese Alps — An 1890s photochrom of the Eiger, color revived

The same Mount Robson landscape with restored color — snow, blue sky and autumn trees — Mount Robson — A faded mountain landscape, color restored

A faded color photograph of a snow-capped mountain and an autumn forest road — Mount Robson — A faded mountain landscape, color restored

The same 1944 victory parade colorized: olive uniforms, summer trees and the Arc de Triomphe — Paris, 29 August 1944 — The US 28th Infantry Division marching down the Champs-Élysées, days after the Liberation

Black-and-white 1944 photograph of American troops marching 24-abreast down the Champs-Élysées toward the Arc de Triomphe — Paris, 29 August 1944 — The US 28th Infantry Division marching down the Champs-Élysées, days after the Liberation

The same 1953 Javanese wedding colorized, with rich batik reds and golds — Javanese wedding, 1953 — A 1953 Javanese wedding, colorized

A black-and-white 1953 photograph of a Javanese wedding couple in traditional dress — Javanese wedding, 1953 — A 1953 Javanese wedding, colorized

The same 1961 railway scene colorized, with natural metal, foliage and sky — Railway, 1961 — A 1961 railway scene, colorized

A black-and-white 1961 photograph of an electric train at a railway changeover — Railway, 1961 — A 1961 railway scene, colorized

Color is only the start

Refresh faded color prints, repair scratched and cracked originals, and correct photos taken at an angle. These are real results too.

The same 1957 wedding portrait colorized, with warm skin tones and a white dress — Italian wedding, 1957 — A 1957 Italian wedding portrait, colorized

A black-and-white 1957 Italian wedding portrait of a bride and groom — Italian wedding, 1957 — A 1957 Italian wedding portrait, colorized

The same mountain valley colorized, with warm light, green forest and a soft sky — Mountain valley — A monochrome mountain valley, colorized

A black-and-white photograph of a forested mountain valley at dusk — Mountain valley — A monochrome mountain valley, colorized

The same 1946 military portrait colorized, with an olive uniform, insignia and medal ribbons — General Marshall, 1946 — A 1946 official military portrait, colorized

A black-and-white 1946 official portrait of General George C. Marshall in uniform — General Marshall, 1946 — A 1946 official military portrait, colorized

The same family photograph repaired and colorized, with warm, lifelike tones — The Wallin family — A cracked, faded family photo restored

A damaged and faded black-and-white photograph of the Wallin family — The Wallin family — A cracked, faded family photo restored

The same Riga street around 1900, colorized with warm building tones and a soft sky — Old Riga, Vaļņu iela — A c.1900 Riga street brought to life in color

A black-and-white photograph of Vaļņu iela in Riga around 1900 — Old Riga, Vaļņu iela — A c.1900 Riga street brought to life in color

The same London street with its perspective rectified and color restored — Angled scan, corrected — A photo taken at an angle — perspective corrected and color restored

A 1979 London street photograph shot at an oblique angle with faded color — Angled scan, corrected — A photo taken at an angle — perspective corrected and color restored

What to expect from AI color

Colorizing is part science, part educated guess. Here is where it shines and where it doesn't, before you upload anything.

Where it does well

Black-and-white portraits, weddings and street scenes with clear faces
Faded color prints that have gone pale or turned orange
Scratches, dust spots and fine cracks across the print
Crooked or angled scans, corrected in the Studio before you upload

Where it falls short

It can't know the real colors. A dress, a uniform or a car may come out a different shade than it really was.
It won't invent what's missing. A torn-off corner or a face lost to water damage stays lost; we don't let AI make it up.
It can't add detail your file doesn't have. Full resolution means the size of your scan, so scan prints at 600 dpi or more.
Faces too small to improve without guessing are left as they are, on purpose. Blurry faces get clearer, but not studio-sharp.

Keep your original scan. A colorized copy is an interpretation to enjoy and share, not a replacement for the original.

Try it on one of your photos

How it works

Nothing to install and no editing skills needed. It runs in your browser, or in the iPhone and Android app.

1
Add your photos
Drag in one photo, a folder or a ZIP file. JPG, PNG, WEBP and TIFF work, up to 40 MB each. Crop, straighten or brighten a photo in the Studio first if it needs it.
2
Check the free preview
We add natural color by default. With a free account you can also improve faces, remove scratches or reduce blur. Every preview is free, watermarked and smaller than the original.
3
Keep the full-resolution photo
Like what you see? Download it in full resolution without a watermark. Your first one is free; after that, a colorized photo costs 1 credit.

Private by design

Your family photos stay yours

These are someone's parents and grandparents, not training data. We process your photos in the EU with our own engine, never use them to train AI and never sell or share them.

Read the privacy policy

Processed in the EU
Uploads, processing and storage stay in the European Union, under the GDPR. Your photos aren't sent to outside AI services.
Never used for training
Your photos are used only to make your result. We don't use them to train, tune or test AI models.
Deleted automatically
Without an account, uploads and results are deleted after about 24 hours. With an account, after about 7 days. Nightly backups may keep copies of photos and results for about 14 days after the backup is made, even if you delete a photo sooner.
You stay in control
Delete any photo from your account whenever you like, or delete the account and your photos go with it.

Pay per photo, no subscription needed

Previews are free and your first full-resolution photo is free. After that, buy a credit pack when you need one; pack credits stay valid for at least two years. Colorizing often? The optional Pro plan adds credits every month.

Color a photo free Compare credit packs

Before you upload

Yes. You can preview a colorized photo without an account. Previews are smaller and carry a watermark. A free account gives you 3 previews and one full-resolution download on us, and you only pay if you want more full-resolution photos.

They didn't live in black and white

Real photographs, real results

Color is only the start

What to expect from AI color

Where it does well

Where it falls short

How it works

Add your photos

Check the free preview

Keep the full-resolution photo

Your family photos stay yours

Processed in the EU

Never used for training

Deleted automatically

You stay in control

Pay per photo, no subscription needed

Before you upload