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Add a Loved One from an Old or Blurry Photo

Often there is only one photo left: a faded print, a small face in a group shot, a black and white picture from decades ago. That is usually enough. Scan it with your phone, crop it around their face, and upload it with the photo you want them in. The clearer the face, the closer the likeness.

Choose your photos

First photo free with an account · then 5 photos for $4.99, no subscription

A smiling mother with her young son and daughter, cheek to cheek in a sunny parkThe mother and her two children in the park with the grandmother from the old photo leaning in beside them, smilingBeforeAfter
Grandma, in the picture again
Create your photo
Photo 1 is the photo you want them in. Photo 2 is a clear photo of your loved one, ideally showing their face and shoulders.
1. The photo to add them to
2. A photo of your loved one

JPG, PNG or WebP, up to 10 MB each. Old prints photographed with your phone work well.

Your photos are private, only used to make your picture, and deleted automatically after 30 days.

Your photo is usually ready in about a minute.

Only use photos of your own family and friends. Photos of public figures are not allowed.

An example
A smiling mother with her young son and daughter, cheek to cheek in a sunny parkFaded 1990s color photo of a smiling grandmother with short gray curls in a floral blouse
The mother and her two children in the park with the grandmother from the old photo leaning in beside them, smiling
An example made from the two photos above. Your photos will appear here.

Example

A park selfie of a mother and her two children, with their grandmother added from a faded 1990s print.
A smiling mother with her young son and daughter, cheek to cheek in a sunny park

The photo to add them to

Faded 1990s color photo of a smiling grandmother with short gray curls in a floral blouse

A photo of the loved one

The mother and her two children in the park with the grandmother from the old photo leaning in beside them, smiling

The new photo, together

How it works

Two photos in, one photo out. Nothing to install and nothing to learn.

  1. First

    Photograph the old print flat in daylight, then crop it close around your loved one’s face and shoulders.

  2. Then

    Upload the photo you want them in as photo 1 and the cropped old photo as photo 2.

  3. Last

    Press the button. If the likeness is not right, try a different crop or another print; a failed photo costs nothing.

One new photo, ready to printabout 1 minute

Scanning an old print with your phone

  1. Take the print out of the frame or album sleeve if you can; glass and plastic cause glare.
  2. Lay it flat next to a window in daylight. Turn off the flash.
  3. Hold the phone straight above the print so the edges look square, and fill the screen with it.
  4. Crop the photo around your loved one, so their face is large in the picture.

What usually works

  • Black and white, sepia and faded color prints. They are shown in natural color to match the new photo.
  • A face cropped out of a group photo, as long as it is not tiny or out of focus.
  • Slightly soft or grainy photos. The tool keeps their features and gives them the sharpness of the main photo.
  • Photos with small scratches or creases that do not cross the face.

What is harder

When the face is very small, heavily blurred, turned away or hidden by a crease, the AI has to guess more of it, and the result may look less like them. If that happens, try another print or a different crop. If the photo is made but they do not look like themselves, email us and we will redo that photo once for free. For badly damaged prints, a photo restoration studio that works by hand may give a better result than any AI tool.

Questions

Can I add someone to a photo if I only have one old picture of them?

Yes. One clear photo of their face is all the tool needs. Old, faded and black and white prints work; scan them with your phone and crop around the face first.

Will a blurry photo work?

A slightly soft photo usually works. A very blurry or tiny face gives a less faithful likeness, because the AI has to fill in the details. Try the sharpest copy you have.

Should I restore the old photo first?

Usually not. The tool already brings old photos into color and matches the sharpness of the main photo. Restoring first can help when a crease or stain crosses the face.

Can I add them from a photo where they are in a group?

Yes. Crop the group photo so only your loved one remains, with their face as large as possible, and upload that crop as photo 2.

What if the photo does not come out right?

If a photo fails or times out, its credit goes back to your balance automatically. If the photo is made but the AI changed your loved one’s face and they do not look like themselves, email hello@adddeceasedlovedonetophoto.org from the address on your account (or with your order receipt) and we will give you one free redo of that photo. A sharper, larger photo of their face usually gives a much closer likeness.

How much does it cost?

Your first photo is free when you create an account and confirm your email. After that, photos come in one-time packs: 5 photos for $4.99, 15 for $9.99 or 40 for $19.99. One credit is one photo. There is no subscription, and you can also buy a pack without creating an account.

What happens to the photos I upload?

The two photos you upload are only used to make your picture and are deleted automatically 24 hours after upload. The finished photo is kept privately in your account so you can download it again, until you delete it with your account (Settings → Security → Delete account, which removes your photos right away) or ask us at hello@adddeceasedlovedonetophoto.org. Photos are never shown to other visitors, sold or used to train AI.

More about adding a loved one to a photo

Your photos are safe with us

The photos you upload are only used to make your picture, are never shown to anyone else and are deleted automatically 24 hours after upload. Your finished photo stays private in your account until you delete it. Photos of public figures and explicit content are refused automatically.