Colorize photo – add color to black-and-white pictures with AI
Chat shortcut: /colorize
Colorize photo: upload a black-and-white picture and the AI colorizes it automatically, so you see old shots in color. The colors are meant to look natural, but they are an estimate from shape and context.
No Sign-Up
Cost: 500 tokens per run · Input and result are automatically deleted 24 hours after upload.
How the AI finds the colors
A black-and-white photo contains only brightness. The AI estimates from shapes, surfaces and lighting which colors might fit. Skin, sky, foliage, grass, wood and water often look coherent, but remain just as much an estimate as clothing, vehicles or house walls: the model does not know the real color from back then.
That is why the tool is meant for family albums, local history, portraits and landscapes, not as historical evidence. If you know the dress was red, you can adjust the picture afterwards in the chat with the “AI photo editor” (account required).
The result depends on the source. Use the original scan instead of a downsized copy, and if faces are blurry or the photo is noisy, run it through “Photo restoration” first. In the result, check faces and hands above all; that is where unsuitable colors are most noticeable.
How it works
- 1
Digitize the photo
Scan the paper photo or photograph it with your phone in even light, as straight as possible and without reflections.
- 2
Upload the image
Drag the JPG, PNG or WebP file (up to 20 MB) into the field or select it.
- 3
Start colorizing
Click “Let’s go” and wait until the colorized image appears in the result area.
- 4
Download and continue
Save the result and sharpen or enlarge it if needed with “Image upscaler”.
Typical uses
Family album
See grandparents, weddings and childhood photos in color and share them with the family.
Local history
Prepare old photos of streets, buildings and local clubs for town histories and exhibitions.
Portraits
Colorize a single portrait and then upscale it for print.
School projects
Make historical shots more vivid for presentations and timelines.
Good to know
- Input: one image as JPG, PNG or WebP, at most 20 MB, 50 megapixels and 12,000 pixels on a side; one image per run.
- Usable without signing up: the price per run is shown above the form, as a guest from the starting allowance, with an account from the daily allowance, package or subscription.
- The photo is transmitted to the AI provider for colorizing; what the provider stores is governed by its terms. On our end, input and result are deleted 24 hours after upload; your original on your device stays unchanged.
- Colorizing runs automatically without settings; to change the colors of specific areas, use the “AI photo editor” in the chat afterwards (account required).
- Recommended order for old photos: restore first, then colorize, upscale last; each step is a separate job with its own price.
- Works in the browser on computer, tablet and phone; no app is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Are the colors real?
No, the AI estimates plausible colors from shape and context. Skin, sky and nature usually look coherent, but are just as much an estimate as clothing and vehicles; the model does not know historically exact colors.
What is the best order?
Restore first (faces and sharpness), then colorize, upscale last.
Which images work poorly?
Very dark, blurry or heavily noisy scans and shots with very small faces. There, “Photo restoration” helps beforehand.
Can I specify or change the colors?
Not in the tool itself, it colorizes automatically. For specific colors, open the result in the chat with the “AI photo editor” (account required) and describe the change, for example “the dress dark red”; afterwards check whether the rest of the image has stayed the same.
Does it work with sepia or yellowed photos too?
You can upload them; the AI works with the brightness of the image. With heavy yellowing or stains, a prior pass in “Photo restoration” usually gives the cleaner source.
What happens to my photo?
It is transmitted to the AI provider for colorizing; what the provider stores is governed by its terms. On our end, photo and result are deleted 24 hours after upload. Download the result before then.
What does it cost?
The price per run is shown above the form; even without signing up, it comes out of your starting allowance.