How does AI photo restoration work?

Our service uses GFPGAN, a state-of-the-art AI model specifically designed for face restoration. It analyzes your photo, identifies facial features, and intelligently enhances them to remove blur, fix damage, and improve overall quality while preserving the original character of the photo.

What types of photos can I restore?

You can restore old, faded, blurry, or damaged photos that contain faces. The AI works best on portrait-style photos where faces are clearly visible. We support JPEG and PNG formats up to 10MB in size.

How long does the restoration process take?

Most restorations complete within 5-15 seconds. The exact time depends on the image size and current server load. You'll see a progress indicator while your photo is being processed.

Do my free credits expire?

Free credits reset daily at midnight UTC. You get 1 free restoration per day. If you don't use it, it doesn't roll over. However, purchased credits never expire and remain in your account until you use them.

What's the difference between free and paid credits?

Free credits give you 1 restoration per day and reset at midnight UTC. Paid credits are purchased in packages (30, 120, or 350 credits) and never expire. When you restore a photo, we use your free credit first, then your paid credits.

Can I get a refund for purchased credits?

No. All sales are final and we do not issue refunds under any circumstances, whether credits are used or unused. Purchased credits never expire, so you can use them whenever you're ready. If a restoration fails on our end, the credit is not deducted from your balance.

Is my photo data secure?

Yes, we take privacy seriously. Your photos are processed securely and are not used for training AI models. Original and restored photos are stored in your private account and can be deleted at any time.

What if the restoration doesn't look good?

AI restoration works best on certain types of photos. If your result isn't satisfactory, you can try uploading a different version of the photo or a higher resolution scan. We don't deduct credits for failed restorations.

Restore Your Old Photos Using AI

Bring your memories back to life. Get 1 free restoration daily, or buy credits for unlimited restorations.

Before

After

How it works

Restore your photos in just a few simple steps.

Sign in with Google

Quick and secure authentication to get started instantly.

Upload your old photo

Drag and drop or select any old, blurry, or damaged photo.

AI restores it instantly

Our GFPGAN model enhances faces and fixes damage in seconds.

Download your restored photo

Get your high-quality restored photo ready to share.

Everything you need to restore your photos

Powerful AI technology made simple and accessible for everyone.

AI-Powered Restoration

Using advanced GFPGAN model to restore faces and enhance photo quality automatically.

Free Daily Restoration

Get 1 free restoration every day. No credit card required to start.

Affordable Credit Packages

Purchase credits that never expire. Use them whenever you need.

Instant Results

Get your restored photos in just 5-15 seconds. Fast and efficient.

High-Quality Downloads

Download your restored photos in full resolution. Keep your memories forever.

Compare Magic Memory to other tools

Researching AI photo restoration? See how Magic Memory stacks up against Remini, MyHeritage, VanceAI, and other alternatives on pricing, quality, and privacy.

Best AI photo restoration tools 2026

Remini, MyHeritage, VanceAI, Fotor, Magic Memory — tested.

Magic Memory vs Remini

Web vs mobile, one-time credits vs weekly subscription.

Magic Memory vs MyHeritage

Standalone photo restoration vs bundled genealogy plan.

MyHeritage Photo Enhancer alternative

Get photo restoration without paying $119/yr for genealogy.

Magic Memory vs VanceAI

GFPGAN portrait focus vs multi-tool professional suite.

All alternatives compared

Remini, MyHeritage, VanceAI, Fotor — full side-by-side.

Restore specific photo types

Step-by-step guides for the photos you're trying to save — old portraits, family albums, damaged prints, and more.

Restore old photos

Recover faded, blurry, and low-resolution portraits.

Restore family photos

Bring back detail in grandparent and ancestry portraits.

Fix blurry photos

Sharpen motion-blurred and out-of-focus face photos.

Restore black and white photos

Clean up and enhance historical black and white portraits.

Restore damaged photos

Repair scratched, torn, and water-damaged photographs.

Restore wedding photos

Recover detail in aged wedding and ceremony portraits.

Restore vintage photos

1920s–1970s film grain, sepia tones, and faded portraits.

Restore faded photos

Recover detail in sun-damaged and color-shifted prints.

Restore portrait photos

Sharpen face detail in cropped or soft-focus portraits.

Learn how it works

Plain-English guides to the AI behind your restoration, plus when each technique helps — and when it doesn't.

What is GFPGAN?

The face restoration model that powers Magic Memory.

What is face restoration?

How AI reconstructs facial detail from degraded photos.

What is photo restoration?

The full picture: AI vs manual, when to use each.

What is image upscaling?

Super-resolution explained — and when you actually need it.

What is AI photo enhancement?

All the tasks AI handles — denoise, deblur, upscale, restore.

For photographers

AI restoration as a billable client service.

For genealogists

Restore ancestor photos for family trees and reunions.

AI restoration vs Photoshop

When AI wins, when manual editing wins — with real numbers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about restoring your photos

Ready to restore your memories?

Start with your free daily restoration. No credit card required.