Upscayl

Upscayl is a free, open-source AI image upscaler that enlarges low-resolution or blurry photos by up to 16x while preserving color accuracy and detail. It runs as a desktop application on Linux, macOS, and Windows, processing images locally rather than uploading them to a server, and a separate cloud-based version offers web access for users who prefer not to install software. The app offers multiple upscaling models suited to different image types, a batch-processing mode for handling several files at once, and a "Double Upscayl" option that reapplies the model for stronger enhancement. Additional features include face enhancement, detail recovery, and a text-to-image generation mode. Because the desktop version runs entirely on-device, it appeals to creators, designers, photographers, and developers who want to avoid sending images to third-party cloud services, and independent reviewers have compared its output favorably to paid tools like Magnific AI. As an open-source project, Upscayl is free to use, with documentation available separately at docs.upscayl.org. The homepage does not disclose a company name, founding year, or a public API, and image quality for the free desktop tool depends on local hardware, so processing very large batches can be slower than cloud-based paid competitors with dedicated server hardware.