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RecolorthePast

Bring your family tree to life

Your ancestors were never black and white. Colorize and restore the portraits in your family history, and meet the people behind the names in warm, lifelike color. Free preview, no sign-up to try.

Use the left and right arrow keys to compare the before and after images.The same c.1900 wedding portrait colorized, with warm skin tones and a softly coloured dressAfterAI-processed
A black-and-white c.1900 studio wedding portrait of a couple
Before
From archive scan to living portrait

More real examples

Use the left and right arrow keys to compare the before and after images.The same 1965 family photo colorized, with 1960s clothing colours and warm skin tonesAfterAI-processed
A black-and-white 1965 family photograph gathered around a birthday cake
Before
Family photo, 1965 — A 1965 family gathering, colorized
Use the left and right arrow keys to compare the before and after images.The same Ellis Island group colorized, with warm coats and natural skin tonesAfterAI-processed
A black-and-white photograph of a group of immigrants outside a building on Ellis Island
Before
Ellis Island arrivals — Immigrants at Ellis Island, colorized
Use the left and right arrow keys to compare the before and after images.The same family photograph repaired and colorized, with warm, lifelike tonesAfterAI-processed
A damaged and faded black-and-white photograph of the Wallin family
Before
The Wallin family — A cracked, faded family photo restored
Use the left and right arrow keys to compare the before and after images.The same 1907 autochrome portrait with its colour revived and clarifiedAfterAI-processed
A faded 1907 autochrome portrait
Before
Autochrome portrait, 1907 — A 1907 autochrome portrait, colour revived

Perfect for

  • Putting real faces on the names in your family-tree software
  • Sharing lifelike ancestor portraits with newly-found relatives
  • Illustrating a family-history book or blog with vivid, restored images

How it works for genealogists

  1. 1

    Upload your archive scans

    Add a single portrait, a whole folder, or a .zip of family-history scans. JPG, PNG, TIFF and more are supported.

  2. 2

    AI restores and colorizes

    We repair age damage, sharpen faded faces, and add realistic, natural color — turning records into recognizable people.

  3. 3

    Download and share in HD

    Download watermark-free HD images to add to your family tree, print, or share with relatives.

Your family records stay yours

Family history is sensitive. Every scan is processed in the EU, never used to train AI, and deleted automatically — and embedded metadata is stripped by default.

Read our privacy promise

Genealogy — common questions

Can I colorize a whole archive at once?
Yes. Drop in a folder or a .zip of scans and we'll process them together, then let you download each one or all of them as a single ZIP.
Are the colors historically accurate?
They're an AI-estimated, realistic colorization — a natural, lifelike interpretation based on each photo, not a documented record of the original colors. Ideal for bringing ancestors to life, not for forensic dating.
What about delicate, badly faded scans?
Our AI rebuilds faded faces and removes scratches and creases. Preview the result for free before you decide to download.

More ways to bring your photos to life