VODOOAI image upscaler: make small pictures sharp enough to print
By VODOO AI · · 4 min read
An AI upscaler takes a small picture and makes it bigger without the blur and blocks you get from stretching it. A logo from an old website becomes sharp enough for a shop sign, a phone photo from five years ago becomes big enough for a poster, a supplier's tiny product shot becomes good enough for your store.
This guide covers the two kinds of upscaling, which one to pick for which picture, and how to check the result before it goes to print.
Two kinds of upscaling
Faithful
- What it does
- Makes the picture bigger and sharper, and adds nothing
- Use it for
- Logos, product shots, documents, anything that must stay exact
Creative
- What it does
- Rebuilds fine detail it can't see, like skin, fabric and leaves
- Use it for
- Old or very small photos, where detail is already lost
| Kind | What it does | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Faithful | Makes the picture bigger and sharper, and adds nothing | Logos, product shots, documents, anything that must stay exact |
| Creative | Rebuilds fine detail it can't see, like skin, fabric and leaves | Old or very small photos, where detail is already lost |
Start with faithful. If the result is sharp but still looks soft or waxy up close, try creative. Never use creative on a logo or on text: it can quietly change a letter or a shape.
What upscales well, and what doesn't
- Works well: logos, flat graphics, product photos, landscapes, food.
- Works with care: faces and hands, which creative upscaling can change slightly.
- Won't fix: a picture that is out of focus, or one so small the subject is a few pixels across.
Briefs to copy
Upscale this small, blurry logo to billboard size. Rebuild it with clean, sharp edges, keep the exact shapes, letters and colours, and add nothing.Make this in VODOO →
Upscale this old photo to print size. Keep every face exactly as it is, recover the fabric and hair texture, and leave the film grain.Make this in VODOO →
Upscale this small product photo for an online store. Keep the product, its label and its colours exactly, make the edges and the label text crisp, and keep the white background clean.Make this in VODOO →
Upscaling for an online store
Marketplaces and store themes reward big, sharp pictures: zoom on hover only works when the file is large, and a blurry main photo makes a good product look cheap. Many sellers start from small supplier pictures. Upscaling them is often the quickest fix before you can reshoot.
- Aim for at least 2000 pixels on the longest side, so zoom works.
- Upscale first, then remove or replace the background, not the other way round.
- Keep the same size and framing across every product in a collection.
- Re-check small print on labels after upscaling: it is the first thing to blur or change.
Check it before you print
- 01Look at 100%Zoom in until one pixel on screen is one pixel in the file, and look at the edges, the text and any faces.
- 02Compare with the originalPut the two side by side. Every letter, shape and colour should match.
- 03Check the size you needFor print, aim for 300 pixels per inch: an A4 poster needs about 3500 by 2500 pixels.
Upscaling a picture you didn't make? Make sure you have the right to use it. A bigger copy of someone else's photo is still their photo.
Upscale your first picture
- 01Open CreateChoose Restore and upscale, and add your picture.
- 02Say what must stayTell it what has to stay exact, such as the letters, the face or the colours.
- 03Download the big versionCheck it at 100%, then download it for print or for your store.
Start in Create with 300 free credits a month, no card needed. Recraft does the faithful kind well. For store pictures from scratch, see AI product photography.
Questions people ask
- What does an AI image upscaler do?
- It makes a small picture bigger and sharper, rebuilding the edges and detail so it doesn't go blurry or blocky the way a stretched picture does.
- Can AI upscaling fix a blurry photo?
- It can sharpen a soft or small photo a lot, but it can't recover a picture that was badly out of focus. It works best when the subject is clear, just small.
- Will upscaling change my logo?
- Not if you use faithful upscaling and say that the shapes, letters and colours must stay exact. Avoid creative upscaling for logos and text.