The quick answer
Keep a scan that you have not changed. A scan is a digital copy of the paper photo. Repair small damage first. Compare each AI result with the scan. A clearer face should still look like the same person.
AI can make new details where some are missing. It cannot prove what a blurred face, badge or word really looked like. Say which parts you repaired and which parts you made new.
In this article
Keep these in mind
- Save the scan before you retouch it.
- Check faces and writing after every strong change.
- Treat added color as an interpretation.
1. Start with the best copy you have
Use the original scan or camera file. Small pictures sent through messages may have lost detail. Still have the paper photo? Try a sharper scan. Avoid reflections if you take a photo of it.
Keep an unchanged file and a working copy. Name the first layer “Original scan.” Layers are like pictures stacked on top of each other. List the damage, such as dust or a fold. Note what must stay, such as a special smile.
2. Repair dust and small marks first
Add an empty layer above the scan. Use the Spot Healing Brush with Sample All Layers enabled. Make the brush just larger than a dust mark, then work in small touches. Check each repair before moving on.
A scratch across a plain wall is easier than one crossing an eye. Near important edges, stop if the repair pulls in the wrong texture. Do not brush across an entire face to fix one narrow crease.
3. Try restoration as a separate version
Open Filter > Neural Filters and find Photo Restoration. Adobe lists it as beta. That means it is still being developed. It may not work the same in every version. Start with small changes. Send the result to a New Layer.
Compare before and after at the same size. Reject a version that gives someone different teeth, a different gaze or a changed hairline. For example, removing a scratch from a jacket helps; turning its unreadable badge into crisp invented letters does not.
Read more: Adobe: Photo Restoration in the Neural Filters gallery · Adobe: Apply Neural Filters and choose an output
4. Keep believable detail separate from known detail
Inspect eyes, mouths, fingers, jewelry and lettering. If the original contains too little information, leave that area softer or explain that it was reconstructed. Another family photo can help you check the face. It does not prove every hidden detail in this picture.
Colorize can add color to a black-and-white photo, but Adobe notes that its color guesses may be inaccurate. Keep a black-and-white restoration as well. Label the colored version. Do not present guessed clothes or skin colors as known facts.
Read more: Adobe: Neural Filters limitations, including Colorize
5. Save a useful, honest result
Keep the original, your file with layers and a copy to share. Add a short note about big changes. A family member can then check the face. You still have the starting picture if something feels wrong.
Check the saved export, not just the Photoshop preview. If you want a larger print, settle the restoration first and then assess enlargement at the intended print size. More pixels can make a file bigger while also making invented details easier to see.
Sources & further reading
Product features can change. Check the linked documentation for the version and service you use.