How to Upscale Images in Photoshop Without Losing Quality

How to Upscale an Image in Photoshop without Losing Quality?

Alright, folks, let's talk about upscaling image resolutions in Photoshop. We've all been there – you've got this awesome image, but it's just too darn small. You need it bigger, but you're terrified it'll turn into a blurry casualty. Trust me, I get it. I've ruined my fair share of images trying to upscale them. But don't worry, I've learned a few tricks along the way, and I'm here to share them with you.

Step 1. Open Your Image in Photoshop

Pretty basic, but start here. Just drag your image into Photoshop or go to File > Open to load the image you want to enlarge into Photoshop.

Step 2. Enable “Preserve Details 2.0” (If You Haven’t Already)

To upscale image quality in Photoshop without losing quality, we will use the Preserve Details 2.0 option in Photoshop. This is secret weapon for Photoshop upscaling. This feature uses advanced upscaling algorithms to retain sharp edges, smooth gradients, and overall clarity—so your image won’t end up looking blurry or pixelated after upscaling.So first of all, we need to make sure it’s enabled.

Go to the top menu and click on Edit > Preferences > Technology Previews. In the dialog box that appears, make sure “Enable Preserve Details 2.0 Upscale” is checked

Step 3. Enlarge the Image in Photoshop

Now let’s actually make the image bigger. Go to the top menu and click on Image > Image Size. If the dialog box is too small, feel free to stretch it out.

First of all, in the dialog box, lock the aspect ratio. This is crucial! Make sure that little link icon between the width and height is clicked. We don't want any awkward stretching, right? If you change the width, the height should follow suit.

Now you need to tell Photoshop the upscale resolution. In the 'Image Size' box, you'll see 'Resolution' and 'Dimensions.' If you're working with pixels, you'll need to input the exact size you want. If you're not sure about specific pixel dimensions, switch the unit to 'Percent.' If you want to upscale 2.5 times, enter '250%.'

Tips: Try it on multiple versions – I sometimes upscale in 2x steps (e.g. 100% → 200% → 400%) instead of one big jump. It can help preserve quality a bit better in tricky images.

Also learn how to increase image resolution in Photoshop

Step 4. Adjust the Photoshop Upscaling Settings  

Now, 'Resample' is where the magic happens. You'll see it's probably set to 'Automatic' by default. And while Photoshop thinks it knows best, it often doesn't.

How to upscale an image in Photoshop without losing quality? You need to set it to 'Preserve Details 2.0.' Then Photoshop uses AI to figure out what's important and keeps it sharp, without going overboard.

You can also try different resampling methods and see what looks best for your image in the preview. And remember, you can zoom in and out of the preview to get a good look at the upscaled image quality in Photoshop.

Step 5. Fine-Tuning with Noise Reduction

In the 'Preserve Details 2.0' option, here is a noise reduction slider. Adjust the Noise Reduction slider too. I usually leave it between 10–20%, depending on how grainy the original image is. Then click OK to upscale the quality in Photoshop.

Step 6. Boost Sharpness with High Pass Filter (Optional)

Even with Preserve Details 2.0, some images might feel a bit soft after Photoshop upscaling. Then the High Pass filter will help. Create a duplicate layer (CMD/CTRL + J) of the upscaled image. Then go to 'Filter' > 'Other' > 'High Pass.' You'll see a grayscale version – don't panic! Adjust the 'Radius' slider to control the sharpening. Smaller radius for fine details, bigger for overall sharpness.

In the Layers panel, change the blending mode to 'Overlay' or 'Soft Light.' This blends the sharpening without messing with the colors. Below are the results before and after I apply the High Pass filter to the upscaled image.

Tips: You can try with other sharpen filters to improve the upscaled quality, like the Smart Sharpen as well as the Super Resolution (available in the Adobe Camera Raw plugin) to enhance the quality in Photoshop.

You may want to know how to use Photoshop Super Resolution

Step 7. Export the Upscaled Image

Finally, go to 'File' > 'Save a Copy.' Choose 'Baseline Standard' and make sure 'Quality' is set to 'Maximum.' We want the best quality, right? And that's it! You've successfully upscaled your image in Photoshop without turning it into a pixelated mess.

Tips: Don’t expect magic from very bad originals – If your image is super pixelated or low-quality to begin with, Photoshop upscaler will help, but it won’t perform miracles. In those cases, I’ve had better luck using a dedicated AI upscaler as a pre-step, then fine-tuning in Photoshop.

Photoshop Upscaling Realities: Common Challenges and Practical Tips

Anyone who's spent time wrestling with Photoshop image upscaling knows it's not always a smooth ride. Based on my own hard-won experience, and the countless threads I've combed through on Reddit and Adobe forums, it's clear we're all fighting similar battles.

1. Visible Pixelation and Blurriness

When you enlarge an image in Photoshop, it has to create new pixels. If it doesn't do this well, you end up with a blurry, pixelated mess. This is especially true with low-resolution images. This is usually caused by low-quality original images or overly aggressive upscaling. Try Photoshop's Preserve Details 2.0 to see if it’s intelligent enough to accurately predict the new pixel data.

2. Noise & Artifact Amplification

Photoshop upscaling, especially for low-resolution or compressed JPEGs, exaggerates can introduce unwanted artifacts, like strange color patterns or blocky textures. Noise can also become more pronounced, making the image look grainy.

3. Loss of Fine Details

The most obvious issue—your upscaled image looks blurry, especially around edges or textures like hair, fabric, or text. Even with the best upscaling methods, fine details can be lost. Edges might become soft, and subtle textures might disappear.

4. Low-Resolution Originals Still Look Bad

Even after you upscale a photo in Photoshop, the image still looks low-quality or unusable. Photoshop can’t create detail where there is none—especially in pixelated or compressed images. For low-quality images, consider using a dedicated AI upscaler.

Photoshop Struggles? Upscale Images Easier with Aiarty Image Enhancer

We've all hit that wall with Photoshop upscaling, right? Fighting pixelation, losing details, and sometimes, just ending up with a bigger version of a bad image. It's frustrating, and frankly, time-consuming.

That's where Aiarty Image Enhancer steps in. This AI upscaler for Photoshop doesn't just stretch pixels but intelligently reconstructs them, preserving those crucial details you thought were gone. It’s able to enlarge photos to 32K while using cutting-edge AI to fill the pixels with vivid details. During the upscaling, it will fix low-quality image quality artifacts like pixilation, blur, and noise. All need just one click, no further manual work.

How to Upscale an Image in Photoshop Alternative AI Upscaler?

Step 1. Download and open alternative Photoshop upscaler. Then just drag and drop your image into the tool. Aiarty plays nice with JPG, PNG, and a bunch of other formats. And here's a time-saver: you can even drop multiple images at once for batch processing. Super handy, right?

Step 2. Once the images are loaded, check the panel on the right hand. You've got AI models optimized for different image types. Choose the model that best fits your image type.

Step 3. Next, choose how big you want your image to go. Use the 'Upscale' dropdown to pick a preset like 1K, 2K, 4K, or 8K. Or, if you want a specific size, use 'Custom Resolution' to enter your own dimensions. You can also scale by a factor such as 1x, 2x, 4x, or 8x. Aiarty will then work its magic and show you a preview.

Step 4. If you’re happy with the upscaled quality, go to the Export Settings and select output format, and output path. Then click Run and it will start to upscale the photo without losing quality.

Conclusion

Upscaling images in Photoshop can definitely deliver great results—if you know the right settings and tricks. Personally, after a lot of trial and error (and more than a few blurry disappointments), I’ve found that using Preserve Details 2.0, sharpening with High Pass and other filters, and paying close attention to resolution settings makes a real difference. That said, it’s not always perfect—especially when you’re working with low-resolution, compressed, or heavily pixelated images.

That’s where Aiarty Image Enhancer has saved me time and stress. It’s incredibly easy to use, and the AI really shines when Photoshop just isn’t giving you the clean results you need—especially for product photos, old pictures, or web graphics. If you're in a rush, not super confident with Photoshop, or just want a quicker way to upscale with quality, I highly recommend giving Aiarty a try.

Sometimes, the best results come from combining tools. For me, it’s Aiarty for the clean upscale, Photoshop for the final polish.