Images are the best way to pass information or send a message since the human brain is able to process them more quickly than words. Image clarity (or the amount of information that it can hold) is dependent on its resolution. Increase image resolution, you get better clarity.
Some images natively have a smaller amount of pixels that makes them blurry and unusable if their size is increased or scaled by only dragging. Not only does this ruin the whole purpose of the image, but it also causes extreme eye strain. Thankfully, there are programs that use advanced algorithms which fill the missing pixels to give you an ability to print the image, use it in a presentation or post it online.
#1 AI Image Enlarger
Who doesn’t love programs that are straight to the point? AI Image Enlarger is an online tool that has a simple 3-step process that’s going to scale your image up to 4x its original size in a matter of seconds. We use a dedicated type of neural network and AI that takes hundreds of thousands of different sample images to figure out the most efficient algorithm for enlarging them. Alongside that, the Super Resolution restoration tech has the most effective CPU’s and GPU’s that technology can provide at its disposal. Not only does this produce the highest quality images possible, but it does it with the utmost efficiency.
#1.1 Advantages
If you wish to increase image resolution without even opening your web browser, there’s a Windows and a macOS downloadable version. The program is extremely lightweight at less than 3.5Mb and around 330Kb in size respectively. If you’re on mobile, the online version is going to work just fine.
Downloaded app is as simple to use as its online counterpart. The interface is clean and straightforward, with just enough options to give it enough customization. It’s only a few step process to your new, high-res image.
The software is completely free without any limitations. No hidden fees are implemented. Additionally, there’s no registration required to use the enhancer.
If you wish to contribute to the AI learning system, you can do so. There’s a 3-step tutorial on the website on how to submit your own image collection.
All uploaded images are kept on the servers for only 12 hours. While on there, they are fully encrypted and protected from hacker attacks.
#2 GIMP
GIMP is a full-fledged free photo editor, used for retouching, cropping and above all, has the ability to increase image resolution. It’s become one of the most famous free alternatives to Adobe’s Photoshop. The ‘Scale Image’ option allows users to modify the image resolution or its height/width. However, there is a trade-off. Depending on which option you choose to increase, the other one decreases. In the end, image resolution stays the same – only the pixel arrangement is modified.
#2.1 Pros
+ Plenty of tutorials available online
+ Easy to use
+ Frequently updated
#2.2 Cons
– Takes up a lot of space (>200Mb)
– You’re installing a full photo editor to use a single feature
– Doesn’t truly increase the resolution
#3 Let’s Enhance
Another AI-based website, Let’s Enhance claims to automatically process and repair all image flaws. They offer two processing options depending on the image type; Magic, which works best with complex photos, as well as Boring that’s made for illustrations and logos. Unfortunately, there is a limit for free users – images can’t be over 15 megapixels or over 15 megabytes. These limits are somewhat removed for paid users. The pricing plans are in the form of monthly/yearly subscriptions or as image bundles that go up to $19.99.
#3.1 Pros
+ Powerful AI algorithms to increase image resolution
+ Two different processing options
+ Additional business plans
#3.2 Cons
– Really strict limits for free users
– Paid plans can get really pricey, especially for regular users
– Still not fully limitless even when you pay
#4 IMGonline
IMGonline enlargement tool is completely free and comes packed with support for 5 different image formats, as well as the ability to enlarge the image up to 16x of its original size. Also, there are 5 interpolation algorithms that can help with possible JPEG artifacts. However, it doesn’t work well with heavily compressed images, and there are image size and megapixel amount restrictions – pictures over 10MP are not supported. The process takes anywhere from 5-60 seconds.
#4.1 Pros
+ Simple interface
+ 5 supported image formats
+ 5 different interpolation algorithms
#4.2 Cons
+ Website looks fairly outdated
+ Megapixel and image size limitations
+ No clear explanation about the algorithm differences
#5 Conclusion
As usual, the free tools are going to be more than enough in most cases for both regular and business users. Before discarding a seemingly low-quality image, give them a try as you’ll probably be surprised with the results. The AI technology remains undisputed due to its complex learning process over the course of time. With thousands of different samples being uploaded daily, it’s a bright future for AI-based image enhancers.
