How can I convert a low-quality image to high-quality without watermark?

When low-resolution images are enlarged to fit larger displays, for printing or for editing, they may appear blurred or lack detail. For those wishing to improve image quality, Real-ESRGAN utilises AI-based image enhancement technology to increase image resolution and restore detail, whilst also offering options to select the processing model, magnification factor and output format.

How to increase image quality

Step 1: Open the program and click Select File in the Input section. Browse to the image you want to enhance and select it.

Step 2: Click Select Directory under Output and choose the folder where the processed image should be saved. You can also review the output filename pattern before processing.

Step 3: Open the Model menu and choose a model appropriate for your image. For example, an anime-focused model is better suited to illustrations and animation, while a general-purpose model should be used for ordinary photographs when available.

Step 4: Open the Scale menu and select the enlargement level you need. A setting such as x4 increases the image dimensions substantially, while a lower scale can be preferable when you only need moderate enlargement.

Step 5: Select the desired output format from the Format menu, such as PNG. PNG is useful when you want to avoid introducing additional lossy compression during the enhancement process.

Step 6: Click Process and wait for the AI upscaling to finish. Processing time depends on the original image size, selected model, scale, and your computer's hardware.

Step 7: Open the processed image from the selected output directory and compare it with the original. Check fine details, edges, faces, and textures for unwanted artifacts before using the enlarged version.

AI upscaling can make a small image appear sharper and provide a higher-resolution output, but it cannot perfectly recover details that were never present in the original file. Choosing a model that matches the type of image is therefore important for obtaining a natural-looking result.