Remove JPEG Artifacts & Fix Blurry or Blocky Photos – AI, Photoshop & Free Tools
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Summary: This post introduces three effective ways to remove JPEG artifacts from images, including Photoshop, a free online JPEG artifact remover, and AI-powered JPEG artifact removal software. It also explains what JPEG compression artifacts are and why they occur.
JPEG artifacts are a common side effect of image compression, often showing up as blocky pixels, blurry edges, or unnatural color shifts that make photos look low-quality. And because compression is everywhere, from Instagram and Facebook to Pinterest and stock photo sites, many images we download or share are already over-compressed. So how do you fix overly compressed photos?
If you’ve ever tried to preserve important memories or create clean visuals for a blog, only to find them damaged by JPEG artifacts, you’re not alone. The good news is that removing these artifacts doesn’t have to be complicated. Read on to learn how you can restore image clarity quickly and effectively.
What Are JPEG Artifacts & Why They Happen
JPEG artifacts are visual distortions caused by JPEG compression, which reduces file size by selectively discarding image data that is less noticeable to the human eye. As a result, fine details and subtle color transitions may be lost, leading to visible quality issues.
- Blocky pixels (Blocking): Square-shaped patches that appear in areas of solid color or low detail.
- Blurry or jagged edges: Loss of sharpness along object boundaries, especially in high-contrast areas.
- Color shifts: Subtle or noticeable changes in color gradients and tones.
- Ringing / Haloing: Bright or dark outlines around edges, creating an unnatural glow.
These JPEG artifacts become more noticeable when images are heavily compressed, zoomed in, or displayed at larger sizes.
How to Remove JPEG Compression Artifacts & Restore Image Clarity
When it comes to removing JPEG artifacts, there are two main approaches: traditional methods such as those available in Photoshop, and newer AI-powered JPEG artifact removal tools. Below, we’ll explore three effective ways to fix JPEG artifacts and restore clarity and detail to your images.
Method 1. Remove JPEG Artifacts Instantly with Aiarty Image Enhancer
Aiarty Image Enhancer helps clean up JPEG artifacts by automatically reducing noise, blur, and blocky compression issues with just a few clicks. It analyzes each image to improve problem areas while preserving natural details and overall appearance. The software runs smoothly on most computers and supports batch processing, making it easy to fix JPEG artifacts across large groups of photos at once.
- Automatically reduces JPEG artifacts, noise, and blur with minimal setup.
- Supports image upscaling up to 16K/32K while preserving natural textures and fine details.
- Optional face enhancement restore face details and AI Eraser to remove clutter, photobombers, text, signs, or icons on regular textures.
- Built-in color adjustment tools to restore to original color or fine-tune brightness, contrast, tint etc.
- Optimized AI models for NVIDIA, AMD, Intel GPUs, with stable batch processing on mid-range hardware.
How to remove compression artifacts using Aiarty Image Enhancer
Step 1. Import Your Images
Download, install, and run Aiarty Image Enhancer. Drag the source image files for loading to the program.
Step 2. Choose an AI model
Navigate to the right section and select an AI model based on your source image. In my case, I chose More-Detail GAN v3, which works amazingly well with images that have intricate details. For a deeper comparison of the 5 AI models, you can refer to the official guide.
Step 3. Choose the Target Resolution
Pick your desired output resolution. For this example, I opted to keep it at the original resolution. If you want to upscale your image to higher resolutions like 4K, 8K, or 10K, select the specific resolution or the upscaling ratio you need.
Step 4. Export the Images
For even richer images, enable 2-Pass Processing and choose More-Detail GAN v3 or AIGCsmooth v3 for an extra round of AI-enhanced image processing. When you're ready, click Single Export to export the image with JPEG compression artifacts removed. If you're processing multiple images at once, click Batch Export to export them all simultaneously.
My Thoughts After Trying This Method
The processing speed is incredible fast – it removes JPEG compression artifacts from 100 images in just minutes on my AMD Radeon RX7600 computer. The outcome looks clear without distracting noise or JPEG artifacts. The spots on the cheeks, the lines on the lips, the shadows next to the hair, and even the details in the eyeballs are all perfectly preserved and restored.
Method 2. Remove JPEG Artifacts with Photoshop
While there are faster and simpler methods out there, Photoshop is still one of the most powerful tools for removing JPEG artifacts. The downside is that it offers a lot of control, which can make the process more complicated and time-consuming. Plus, Photoshop can be quite resource-hungry, so if your system isn't up to the task, you might experience performance issues like 100% CPU usage or even freezing. And let's not forget the price—USD 22.99 a month can be a tough pill to swallow for some.
Step 1. Visit the Adobe Creative Cloud website and go to the Photoshop subscription page. Choose a plan that fits your needs. Create a new account or sign in to an existing one, then enter your payment details to complete the purchase.
Step 2. After purchasing, download Photoshop to your computer. Double-click the downloaded file to launch the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
Step 3. Press Ctrl + F on your keyboard to open the Discover panel. Under the Quick Actions section, find the JPEG Artifacts Removal filter. Click the Download button to add it to your workspace.
Step 4. Once downloaded, click the Apply button to start removing the JPEG compression artifacts from your image.
Step 5. After the task is complete, go to File > Export and select Export As. Here, you can choose the desired output format (JPG, PNG, etc.), set the quality level (higher quality results in better images, though larger file sizes), and adjust other parameters. It's best to choose a higher-quality setting to avoid introducing new JPEG compression artifacts.
My Thoughts After Trying This Method
The processing speed is pretty slow – it took me over 20 minutes to remove JPEG artifacts from just one image. I'm not sure where the problem lies, but I found some Reddit users mentioning that it might be due to the cloud-based nature of the process. Another annoying issue is that it adds some noise to the output, which can be a bit frustrating.
Method 3. Remove JPEG Artifacts Online with OpenArt Ultimate Upscale
If you're looking for a fast and convenient way to remove JPEG artifacts without needing to download any software, OpenArt's Ultimate Upscale offers an excellent online solution. It's designed not only to upscale images but also to fix common issues like compression artifacts, blurriness, and other imperfections. However, while it's labeled as free, there's a catch: it limits you to using trial credits for premium features over a 7-day period. After that, the premium plan costs between USD 14 to USD 56 per month, which can feel a bit on the pricier side.
Step 1. Go to the official site of OpenArt. Sign up using your Gmail or phone number, and log in to your account.
Step 2. Once logged in, go to the Apps section and find the Ultimate Upscale. Click the Run button to launch this online JPEG artifacts remover.
Step 3. Drag and drop your image into the upload section. You'll be presented with three upscale model options: Precise Upscale, Refined Upscale, and Creative Upscale. For the best results, it's recommended to choose Precise Upscale, unless you want the AI to alter more of the image's details.
Step 4. The upscaling process may take a few minutes. Once it's finished, you can click on the thumbnail to preview the result. Use the slider to compare the before and after effects.
Step 5. Explore the toolkit at the top to add some fun effects. For instance, you can modify specific parts of the image, transform it into animation-style art, and experiment with other creative options.
Step 6. When you're happy with the result, click Download As and select your desired image format, such as JPG or PNG, to start downloading your enhanced image.
My Thoughts After Trying This Method
The JPEG compression artifacts are effectively removed, and the overall image quality is noticeably improved. However, upon closer inspection, you may still notice some subtle changes in the details. For instance, the mole on her face becomes lighter and almost disappears. Thus, if you appreciate the soft, almost imperceptible beauty effect that this JPEG artifacts remover adds, you might enjoy using it. However, if maintaining the original details is important to you, Aiarty Image Enhancer might be a better option, as it does a more precise job of preserving natural features.
Remove JPEG Artifacts: Traditional vs. AI-Based Solutions
There are two main approaches to removing JPEG artifacts: traditional manual editing and AI-powered enhancement. Each has its own strengths and limitations.
Traditional methods usually rely on manual tools in software like Photoshop. Features such as the Noise Reduction filter and the Healing Brush Tool can help reduce blocking, color banding, and compression noise. However, achieving good results often requires experience and careful parameter tuning. You may need to work with layers and masks to avoid over-smoothing important details. Although Photoshop has introduced a dedicated JPEG artifact filter, the results are inconsistent, and processing can be relatively slow.
AI-based solutions, by contrast, focus on speed and automation. Tools like Aiarty Image Enhancer use deep learning models trained to recognize common compression artifacts, including blocky pixels, color distortions, and blurry edges. Instead of manual adjustments, the AI analyzes the image and restores details automatically. This approach is especially useful when dealing with low-light photos, camera shake, or heavily compressed images.
Another advantage of AI tools is batch processing. Aiarty Image Enhancer can clean up multiple images at once, making it a practical choice for users who need fast, consistent results without extensive manual editing.
For those looking for a quicker and more streamlined way to remove JPEG compression artifacts, AI-based tools like Aiarty Image Enhancer offer a one-click alternative to traditional workflows. Try it now!
Tips for Preventing JPEG Artifacts in the Future
1. Choosing the right format from the start
- Avoid using JPEG as your primary editing format: Work with lossless formats like RAW, TIFF, or PNG for editing and saving your master copies. These formats preserve all original image data, meaning you won't introduce any artifacts during editing or repeated saving.
- Only convert to JPEG at the very last step: Once all editing is complete and you need the smaller file size for web use, sharing, or emailing, then save a copy as a JPEG.
2. Optimizing JPEG saving and compression
- Higher Quality Settings: When saving a JPEG, opt for higher quality settings (typically a slider or numerical value within your image editor). While this results in a larger file size, it reduces the amount of information discarded during compression, thus minimizing visible artifacts.
- Avoid Aggressive Compression: Never choose extremely low-quality settings (e.g., below 50%) unless file size is the absolute priority and slight degradation is acceptable. Aggressive compression leads to pronounced blockiness, color shifts, and blurring.
- Minimize Generations: Each time you open, modify, and re-save a JPEG, you re-apply the lossy compression, further degrading the image quality. It's best to minimize the number of times you save a JPEG, and instead, work with a master copy in a lossless format for any significant edits.
3. Consider image content and type
- Images with Fine Detail or Smooth Gradients: These areas are particularly susceptible to JPEG artifacts. If your image contains these elements, prioritize higher quality settings or consider using a different format like PNG.
- Illustrations or Images with Large Blocks of Color: Lossless formats like PNG are ideal for these types of images, as they preserve sharp edges and avoid color banding.
4. Understanding image processing and online platforms
- Non-Destructive Editing: If you need to resize, crop, or rotate JPEG images, utilize software features that offer lossless transformations or non-destructive editing. This prevents the image from undergoing further compression during these manipulations.
- Hosting Strategies: When uploading images to online platforms, be aware that some services may re-compress your JPEGs, potentially introducing or worsening artifacts. Choose services known for preferring high-quality JPEG compression or resize and optimize your images yourself before uploading them. You might need to experiment with different platforms to see which offers the best image quality after their own processing.
- Remove Unnecessary Metadata: Some tools and platforms remove EXIF and other metadata from JPEG files during processing, which can slightly reduce file size. While this isn't directly related to artifacts, it can contribute to a more efficient file for online use without affecting visual quality.
5. Other considerations
- Camera Settings: If possible, set your camera to record in the highest quality JPEG setting or even RAW format to start with the best possible image data.
- Backup Original Images: Always maintain a copy of the original, unedited image file, especially if it's in a lossless format. This ensures you always have a pristine version to go back to if necessary.
By implementing these strategies, you can significantly reduce the chances of encountering JPEG artifacts and preserve the visual quality of your images.
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Brenda Peng is a seasoned editor at Digiarty Software who loves turning ordinary photos into extraordinary works of art. With years of experience behind the lens and in front of the computer, Brenda shares her passion for photography, image enhancement, and editing through easy-to-follow tutorials.
