How to Enhance a Photo in Photoshop (Quality & Resolution)

Ever stared at a photo and wished it could look just a bit better? Maybe it's a blurry snapshot from a family vacation, or an image that's too dark to show off its details. Whatever the case, you can turn lackluster images into eye-catching masterpieces with Photoshop. In this guide, we'll show you how to enhance a photo in Photoshop, boosting its quality and resolution with simple, practical steps. Whether you are a beginner dipping your toes into photo editing or a seasoned pro looking for a quick refresher, we've got you covered.

Photoshop is the gold standard for image editing, packed with tools to sharpen, resize, and color-correct your photos like a pro. From fixing blurry shots to increasing resolution without losing clarity, you'll discover techniques that make your images pop. Ready to dive in? Stick with me, and you'll be enhancing photos in no time!

Enhance Image Quality

When you need to enhance a low-resolution image without sacrificing quality, Super Resolution in Photoshop delivers remarkable results. Introduced as part of Adobe Camera Raw 13.2, this feature leverages advanced artificial intelligence to upscale images, effectively doubling their dimensions while preserving intricate details.

Developed using machine learning trained on vast datasets of images, Super Resolution intelligently reconstructs textures, edges, and patterns, making it ideal for scenarios like enlarging web images for print or revitalizing older photos. This tool streamlines what was once a complex process, offering a quick yet powerful way to achieve crisp, professional-grade outputs.

Here's how to enhance a photo quality in Photoshop using Super Resolution.

1. Open your image in Photoshop.
2. Navigate to Filter > Camera Raw Filter to access Adobe Camera Raw.
3. Zoom the preview image to at least 100%.
4. Right-click the image and select Enhance from the context menu.
5. In the dialog box, enable the Super Resolution option and click Enhance.
6. Allow Photoshop a moment to process; the AI will generate a new, higher-resolution version.

The strength of Super Resolution lies in its ability to add realistic details without introducing pixelation or artifacts common in traditional upscaling. For instance, a 1000x1000-pixel image can be transformed into a 2000x2000-pixel version with enhanced clarity, suitable for large-format printing. While it excels with moderately low-resolution images, extremely blurry photos may yield less dramatic improvements. Nonetheless, Super Resolution remains a go-to way to enhance the quality of a photo in Photoshop.

Increase Resolution of Image

When you increase resolution, you are essentially asking Photoshop to generate a larger image with more pixels, ideally without sacrificing clarity or introducing unwanted artifacts. The process, known as resampling, adjusts an image's pixel count to meet your desired dimensions while striving to maintain visual quality.

Traditional methods like Nearest Neighbor, Bilinear Interpolation, and Bicubic have long been the backbone of this process. They help you create whatever image resolutions you need.

Here's how to increase image resolution in Photoshop without adjusting pixel dimensions.

1. Open your image in Photoshop.
2. Check Enable Preserve Details 2.0 Upscale in Preferences > Technology Previews.
3. Navigate to Image > Image Size to open the resizing dialog box.
4. Ensure the Resample checkbox is enabled to allow pixel adjustments.
5. Choose a method from the Resample dropdown menu.
• Use Preserve Details 2.0 to preserve important details and textures.
• Select Nearest Neighbor (hard edges) for graphics with sharp lines, like logos, to avoid softening.
• Choose Bilinear for moderate upscaling of images like web photos, balancing speed and smoothness.
• Opt for Bicubic Smoother (enlargement) for high-quality results on detailed photos, such as prints.
6. Enter your target resolution (for example, increase from 72 pixels/inch to 300 pixels/inch for print quality).
7. Click OK to apply the changes and generate the upscaled image.

Sharpen Image

Sharpening an image in Photoshop is a transformative step that can elevate your photos from soft or lackluster to crisp and professional. The Smart Sharpen Filter offers control over how and where sharpness is applied. This level of customization ensures your photos maintain a natural look, avoiding the harsh, artificial edges that less sophisticated tools might produce.

Here's how to sharpen a photo in Photoshop using Smart Sharpen.

1. Duplicate the layer with your image.
2. Right-click the duplicate layer and choose Convert to Smart Object.
3. Go to Filter > Sharpen > Smart Sharpen.
4. Set the controls in the Smart Sharpen dialogue box.
5. Enable Preview to see real-time changes and fine-tune the sliders.
6. Click OK to apply the Smart Sharpen filter when you are happy with the adjustments.

Adjust Color

Adjusting color can enhance the quality of a photo in Photoshop by setting the mood and drawing viewers in.

Levels provides a straightforward way to adjust tonal ranges—shadows, midtones, and highlights—making it ideal for quick fixes, such as brightening a dark image or restoring contrast to a flat one. Curves, on the other hand, offer greater control, allowing you to adjust specific tonal ranges with pinpoint accuracy.

To adjust color using Levels and Curves in Photoshop, follow the steps below.

1. Open your image in Photoshop.
2. For non-destructive editing, create adjustment layers by going to Layer > New Adjustment Layer and selecting Levels or Curves.
3. Levels: In the Properties panel, you'll see a histogram with three sliders—black (shadows), gray (midtones), and white (highlights). Slide the black point right to deepen shadows or the white point left to brighten highlights. Adjust the gray slider to fine-tune midtones, balancing overall brightness.
4. Curves: In the Properties panel, click on the diagonal line to add points. Drag a point upward to brighten a specific tonal range (e.g., midtones for overall glow) or downward to darken it. For color adjustments, switch to the Red, Green, or Blue channel—add a point and curve it slightly to enhance or reduce that color's intensity.
5. Preview your changes at 100% zoom to ensure natural results, tweaking points as needed.
6. Save your work, keeping adjustment layers intact for future edits.

AI Photo Restoration

Photoshop offers a Photo Restoration filter to enhance a photo by tackling common issues in aged or damaged photographs, such as scratches, discoloration, and loss of detail. It's particularly effective for handling surface defects like dust spots or creases, while also offering options to refine facial details for a natural look.

Here's how to enhance a photo in Photoshop using the AI Photo Restoration filter.

1. Open your damaged or old photo in Photoshop.
2. Go to Filter > Neural Filters to open the Neural Filters workspace.
3. Locate the Photo Restoration filter (if it's not visible, ensure it's downloaded by clicking the cloud icon).
4. Toggle on the Photo Restoration option to activate the filter.
5. Adjust the Scratch Reduction slider to smooth out scratches, dust, or creases—start with a moderate setting to avoid over-processing.
6. Use the Enhance Facial Features slider if the photo includes people, refining details like eyes or skin for a natural appearance.
7. Experiment with the Colorize option if your image is black-and-white and you'd like to add realistic color (note: this may require additional tweaking for accuracy).
8. Preview the results at 100% zoom to check for smoothness and detail retention.
9. Click OK to apply the filter, saving the output as a new layer for non-destructive editing.

The AI Photo Restoration can handle a range of imperfections efficiently. For example, applying it to a scratched 1950s family photo can remove surface marks while enhancing faded clothing textures, making the image feel fresh yet authentic. If the photo has faces, the facial enhancement option can sharpen eyes or soften harsh blemishes without creating an artificial look.

However, be cautious with high settings, as they may blur fine details like hair strands. For heavily damaged areas, you might pair the filter with Photoshop's Clone Stamp or Healing Brush for precision touch-ups.

How to Enhance a Photo in Photoshop Alternative

Photoshop's robust tools empower you to enhance photos with unparalleled precision, but its learning curve and manual workflows can feel daunting, especially for beginners or those managing large batches of images.

In this case, Aiarty Image Enhancer offers a compelling alternative if you are seeking a faster, more automated way to achieve professional-grade enhancements. Unlike Photoshop's traditional methods, which require careful adjustments, this AI photo enhancer features an automatic 4-in-1 enhancement, making it ideal for users who lack the time or expertise for intricate editing. Its standout feature is batch processing, capable of enhancing up to 3,000 images at once, perfect for photographers, e-commerce professionals, or hobbyists working with large collections. Best of all, its user-friendly interface makes it accessible, even on mid-range computers.

Here's how to enhance photos with this AI photo enhancer.

Step 1: Download and install Aiarty Image Enhancer

Click the download button below to download and install the program. 100% free and clean. A free trial is available to test its features.

Step 2: Import your images into the working panel

Launch the software and import your images by dragging and dropping them. You can also select a folder for batch processing. The program supports a wide range of formats, so there's no need to worry about compatibility issues.

Step 3: Choose an AI model for photo enhancement

Aiarty offers various AI models for different image types, but each can intelligently denoise, deblur, upscale, and enhance your photos. You just need to choose a model based on your needs, set the resolution, and decide whether to perform face restoration.

Step 4: Export the enhanced photos

When happy with the preview results, you can click the Single Export option to save the enhanced photo at high speed with hardware acceleration. To export multiple images at once, choose Batch Export.