Photo restoration
Restore Old Photos with AI
Upload a scan of an old print and describe what to restore: the model clears scratches and creases, pulls back facial detail and colorizes black-and-white frames on request.
The short version
- What is it?
- AI photo restoration is repairing a damaged picture with a generative model: it rebuilds lost areas, clears scratches and brings detail back into view.
- How does it work?
- You upload a scan as the reference and describe the job in words — remove creases, sharpen the face, add color. The model returns a restored frame.
- Who is it for?
- Family archives, keepsake photos, home-history documents and old shots you want to print or publish.
- How do I do it in Wibee?
- Open the studio, switch to the custom prompt tab, upload the scan and describe what to restore.
What the service does
Restoration in Wibee runs through custom-prompt generation with your scan as the reference: you state the job in words and the model repaints the frame.
Clear the damage
Scratches, creases, mold stains, glue marks and a torn corner — the model rebuilds the missing area from what surrounds it.
Bring back facial detail
Eyes, the line of the lips and the edge of the hair come back out of a soft print — the things people are recognized by.
Colorize black and white
Colorization by description: you can set clothing color, skin tone and the character of the light instead of leaving it to the model.
Recover contrast
A faded print returns to a normal tonal range — shadows stop blocking up and highlights stop clipping.
How the technology works
Restoration runs on the same diffusion image model as the other modes — it does not repair pixels, it draws the frame again using your scan as the guide.
The scan as reference
Your photo goes into the model together with the text: composition, pose and features come from it rather than from imagination.
The prompt sets the job
"Remove scratches, keep the facial features, leave the clothing alone" works far better than a generic "enhance".
Queue and refunds
A job survives a service restart, and a generation that fails returns your tokens automatically.
Which photo to upload
The more information survives in the source, the closer the result stays to the original — the model restores from remains, not from memory.
Works well
- A scan of the whole print in JPG, PNG or WEBP, up to 10 MB.
- A re-shot copy under even diffuse light, without flash glare or reflections from the frame glass.
- The original aspect ratio, with the face not cropped at the edge.
- The highest resolution you have: even a noisy large scan beats a small copy from a messenger.
Better replaced
- A photo of a screen, with moiré and reflections.
- A shot taken at an angle, with keystoning and a hand shadow.
- A copy already run through an aggressive auto-enhancer: its features are rewritten.
- A frame where the face is a dozen pixels wide — there is nothing left to restore.
What you get
The output is a new image restored from your scan; your original file stays untouched.
A restored frame
A high-resolution image ready for printing and publishing.
Download as an archive
Every file of the generation comes as one zip from its card.
Operation history
Each generation is visible in your profile with its price, status and parameters.
Stored for 7 days
Files are deleted after a week; the operation records stay.
Example scenarios
Family archive
Prepare your grandparents' photos for an album or a wall print.
An anniversary
Restore a wedding or school photo for a milestone date.
Publishing
Bring an archive frame up to a state fit for a post or an article.
Colorization
Show a black-and-white shot in color with the composition untouched.
How to restore a photo
- 1
Scan or re-shoot the old print under even light.
- 2
Open the Wibee studio and the custom prompt tab.
- 3
Upload the scan and describe the job: what to remove, what to keep, whether you want color.
- 4
Run the generation and download the restored frame.
Limitations
Generative restoration is artistic recovery, not forensic analysis. In practice that means:
- The model fills losses plausibly, not faithfully: whatever is missing from the source is invented, so the result is not suitable for documentary use.
- Facial features stay recognizable but not pixel-for-pixel: moles, scars and small clothing details do not always survive.
- Color in a colorization is a reconstruction, not a record: the model cannot know the real shade of a dress or a uniform, so set it in the prompt.
- Hands, jewelry and text in the background remain the weak spot of diffusion models — reroll a frame with prominent hands.
- Upload only your own photos or images you hold the rights to: you confirm this before each run.
- Generated files are stored for 7 days — download the result right away; the operation history stays in your profile.
Why Wibee
No editor needed
No layers, masks or retouching skills — the job is stated in words.
A result you steer
The prompt decides what gets touched and what stays as it is.
Fast turnaround
A restored frame in minutes, without a queue at a photo lab.
Pay per result
Tokens are charged only for a generation you actually run.
Examples
Wibee preset previews — this is what the selected style produces. Each example opens its preset in the studio.
Presets for this job
Ready-made shooting scenarios from the catalog — each has its own page with examples and a price.
- Bubble BathGenerate a large cinematic shot in a luxurious bubble bath. In the image: a girl lies in lush foam, damp strands softly falling on her face, pink neon lighting and light cinematic grain.50 tokens
- Meeting at the CafeGenerate a cinematic portrait in a street cafe in natural light. In the image: a man in a gray tracksuit and black vest sits at a table with coffee, keys and a phone on the table…25 tokens
- Man in WhiteGenerate a studio portrait with soft light that highlights fabric texture. In the image: a man in a white suit sits sideways on a metal chair in a relaxed pose…50 tokens
- Watermelon SummerGenerate a bright shot in a red studio with a juicy summer accent. In the image: a girl holds a large watermelon slice to her face, a diagonal pose, large tropical leaves in the foreground…25 tokens
- Cinematic PortraitGenerate a cinematic portrait with light grain in an editorial style. In the image: a man in a black oversized suit sits leaning on his knee, lighting a cigarette…25 tokens
- The GraduateGenerate a soft artistic studio portrait in a restrained palette. In the image: a young man crouches with a white balloon and calligraphic 'Class of 2026' lettering…25 tokens
Frequently asked
Can a badly damaged photo be restored?
Yes, as long as the outline of the face and the composition survive. The more is lost, the more the model invents — and the further the result drifts from the original.
Will the person still look like themselves?
The model works from your source and keeps recognizable features, but the frame will not be a copy of the original: this is restoration, not scanning.
Can I colorize a black-and-white photo?
Yes. Describe the colors of clothing, background and light in the prompt — otherwise the model picks them itself.
Do I keep the original?
Yes, your source file stays with you. The service returns a separate new image.
How much does it cost?
It charges the custom-prompt generation price from your token balance; the exact number is shown in the studio next to the form.
How long does it take?
Usually minutes. The status is visible in your profile and the finished file downloads as an archive.
Is the result good enough to print?
Yes, for albums and publishing. It must not be used for documentary or legal purposes.
What happens to the scan I upload?
It goes to the AI provider's temporary storage for the generation and is deleted together with the result files after 7 days.
Restore an old photo
Upload a scan, describe what to bring back — the result takes a few minutes.
Start with Wibee