FondlyRestore old photos for your family tree
Put a clear face to every name in your family tree. Restore ancestor portraits before you upload them, and share the best version with every relative.
Taking a picture of a print? Lay it flat by a window in daylight and turn off the flash, so there's no glare.
What a lovely photo. Choose what it needs:
✦ Deep repair is our most powerful restoration, included with credits and Pro. 50 photos for $9, no subscription. Unlock Deep repair →
Faces are brought back into focus automatically. Your photo stays private and is deleted within an hour. By restoring it you confirm you may use it and agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy, including how faces are handled.
This usually takes under a minute. Please keep this page open.
Welcome back
Drag the little circle to see the before and after.
Print sizes 4×6, 5×7 and 8×10, cut to shape for any photo lab
A lovely gift: print it and frame it for someone in the photo. Drugstore photo centers print 4×6 to 8×10 the same day. Or give a Fondly gift card →
How to restore old photos for your family tree
- Scan the print or take a straight, well-lit phone picture of it (no flash, avoid glare).
- Drop the photo into the box above and pick what to fix.
- Wait 10–60 seconds while the AI restores it.
- Drag the slider to compare, then download the restored photo.
Good practice for family historians
- Keep the untouched scan as your archival master, and save the restored version alongside it with a clear name (for example "Mary Smith 1912 – restored").
- Note in the photo description that it was digitally restored or colorized, so later researchers know.
- Crop group photos into individual portraits for each person's profile, but keep the full group photo too.
- Record who is in the photo, where and when, while relatives still remember.
Which settings to use
- Portraits for profile pictures: default settings, which sharpen faces.
- Cracked or flaking cabinet cards and tintypes: scratch repair or ✦ Deep repair.
- Black-and-white photos: try both with and without "Add color"; colorized portraits tend to get more reactions from relatives, while the original tone suits the record.
Preparing files for upload
Family tree sites accept JPG. If a photo is too large for an upload form, or comes from an iPhone in HEIC format, these free tools help.
Frequently asked questions
Is it honest to use restored photos in a family tree?
Yes, as long as you label them as restored. Restoration removes damage; it does not change who is in the picture. Colorized photos should always be labeled as colorized.
Can I restore photos other relatives shared online?
You can restore any photo you have a copy of. Starting from the highest-resolution version available gives much better results than a small thumbnail.
Do you keep my photos?
No. Your photo is processed by our AI provider and deleted within an hour. We never store, view or train on your photos.