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Increase the resolution of an image

Resizing an image and upscaling it are not the same operation, and the difference shows up the moment you print anything.

Resizing spreads the pixels you already have across a larger area. Nothing is added, so the result goes soft. Upscaling reconstructs detail as it enlarges, which is why a small image can come out looking sharp at a size it had no business reaching.

The images that need it are the ones that were small to begin with: an old export, a screenshot, a heavily compressed download, or a composite you now want to print.

Try it in the editor

How it works

  1. 1Add the image you want enlarged to the canvas.
  2. 2Select it so the image toolbar appears.
  3. 3Choose the upscale action.
  4. 4The higher-resolution version replaces the original on the canvas.

What people use it for

  • Preparing a small image for print
  • Enlarging an old photo or a low-resolution scan
  • Recovering usable detail from a compressed download
  • Raising the resolution of a finished composite
  • Making a screenshot legible at a larger size

Where it struggles

  • Upscaling invents plausible detail. It does not recover detail that was never captured, so a photo destroyed by blur or compression comes back sharper but not more accurate.
  • Faces and text are where invented detail gets caught, because people are unusually good at spotting when those are subtly wrong. Check them before anything else.
  • Do it last. Removals, replacements and repairs all work better at the original resolution, and upscaling the finished image avoids enlarging artifacts you have not fixed yet.

Common questions

Is upscaling the same as resizing?
No. Resizing stretches the pixels you already have, which looks soft. Upscaling reconstructs additional detail as it enlarges.
Can it rescue a badly blurred photo?
Only partly. It approximates detail that plausibly belongs there. It cannot recover information the original never contained.
Should I upscale before or after editing?
After. Edit at the original resolution and upscale the finished image as the last step.

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