AI photo restoration FAQ: what it can and can't fix
What AI restoration fixes well
AI restoration corrects faded color and contrast, removes scratches, dust spots, and creases, and sharpens and reconstructs faces and other detail across the frame. It also enhances overall resolution, and can add color to a black-and-white photo as an optional add-on rather than a required step.
What AI restoration cannot do
Restoration works with the detail that is actually present in the scan; it cannot create detail that the original print never captured, so a photo that is truly out of focus or has a face that was never in sharp focus has genuine limits. Extremely faded or damaged prints can improve substantially, but "restoration" is repair of what exists, not a redraw from imagination.
Colorization accuracy, set correctly
No AI tool recovers a photo's true original colors: colorization is a plausible, pattern-based prediction, generally 70 to 85 percent accurate on common subjects like skin, sky, and foliage. That accuracy is usually more than enough for a natural-looking family photo, but it is a best guess, not a historical record.
The scan quality that gets the best results
Start from the highest-resolution scan available, ideally 600 DPI or more, since a higher-resolution scan captures the subtle tonal detail that restoration depends on. A low-resolution scan or an already-compressed photo gives restoration less to work with, regardless of how good the tool is.
How the process works end to end
Upload a scanned or photographed copy of the original print, let the restoration run automatically, and download the corrected version, all without any editing software or experience. Reviva is a one-time payment per photo with no subscription, backed by a money-back guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
What can AI photo restoration actually fix?
AI restoration reliably corrects fading and contrast, removes scratches, dust, spots and creases, sharpens and reconstructs faces, and enhances overall resolution. It can also add plausible color to a black-and-white photo as an optional step.
What can't AI photo restoration fix?
It cannot invent detail that was never captured in the original print, so a photo that is genuinely out of focus or missing a face entirely has real limits. It also cannot recover the exact original color of a black-and-white photo, only a plausible reconstruction.
Is AI colorization historically accurate?
No single AI tool recovers the true original colors of a black-and-white photo. Colorization is a plausible, pattern-based guess, typically 70 to 85 percent accurate on common subjects, not a historical fact.
How do I get the best results from AI restoration?
Start from the highest-resolution scan available, ideally 600 DPI or more, since a higher-resolution scan preserves the subtle tonal detail that restoration relies on. Restoration cannot add detail a low-resolution scan never captured.