How to increase resolution of an image on Windows 11/10?

What makes Real-ESRGAN different from other upscalers is how it was trained. Most older upscalers were trained on clean, perfect "lab" images, so they fall apart when given real-world photos—think old screenshots, compressed WhatsApp images, or grainy product photos. Real-ESRGAN was trained on real-world degradation patterns, which means it handles those messy, imperfect source images much better.

Unlike simple resizing that just stretches pixels, Real-ESRGAN actually predicts and reconstructs missing image details to increase resolution of an image in Windows 11 without turning it into a blurry, pixelated mess.

In March 2026 tests on a Windows 11 laptop, Real-ESRGAN produced solid, steady results on old UI screenshots, slide graphics, product labels, packaging, and logos without tiny text . It is not a "wow" tool that creates magic from nothing—it is a dependable, professional-grade tool that does one job well.

The NCNN version is a pre-built, portable executable that requires no Python installation and has no dependencies. You simply download a zip file, extract it, and run it from the command line.

If you want to increase resolution of an image in Windows 11 using Real-ESRGAN and you absolutely refuse to use the Terminal, your only option is Real-ESRGAN-GUI. It is free, it is graphical, and it works for most users . However, it is unofficial, and some users report stability issues.