AI Upscaling: Which Tool for What Job

"Upscale" means two different things. Some tools enlarge an image while keeping it as close to the original as possible. Others use generation to invent new fine detail, which can look stunning or change things you wanted kept. Knowing which you need is most of the choice.

The tools at a glance

Features and model names change often; check each tool's current options before a big job.

Faithful or creative?

• Faithful keeps faces, text, logos and product details as they are. Use it for anything a client has approved.
• Creative adds detail by regenerating at a larger size. Faces, hands, text and small objects can change, so check them closely.
• In between: most creative upscalers let you lower how much they may change. Start low and raise it.

A workflow that avoids surprises

1. Keep the original at full size before you upscale, so you can always go back.
2. Upscale a crop first to test settings on the hardest area: a face, hands or text.
3. Compare at 100%, not zoomed out, before you deliver.
4. Note the tool and settings next to the result, so the same look can be repeated for the rest of a series.

Upscaling for print and video

For print, check the size and resolution the printer asks for and upscale to that, not beyond. For video, upscale the start frame before image-to-video if the video model accepts larger inputs, then upscale the finished clip with a video upscaler if needed; see image to video: which platform for what.

Try it

When a creative upscaler asks for a prompt, describe the material you want sharpened rather than the whole scene again:

fine skin texture, crisp fabric weave, sharp eyelashes, clean edges, no new objects

Change the materials to match your image. Keeping "no new objects" in the prompt and a low creativity setting helps the upscaler add detail without changing what is there.