How to increase the image resolution: The ultimate guide on how to do it

In the modern world, a lot of people take photos and a lot of them often cross the word "resolution". But does everyone know what the term means? In a word, it is the number of pixels per unit area. There is one basic and very simple rule: the more pixels in an image, the higher the image quality, that is, the larger size of the image and the higher resolution of the original image. Thanks to modern editors, creating a high-resolution from a low-resolution image has become a breeze. There is so much information about resolution in the world of technology right now, so from a large number of sources we can learn how to increase the resolution of a picture. Well, I'm ready to tell you more about it.

What Is Photo Resolution

The resolution describes how detailed the will picture is. The resolution can be changed by working only on digital images and in case you would like to refine or better your old photos, you first have to scan them and make a digital version. And as you remember, the higher number of pixels is, the higher the resolution will be. So, how you can increase your image you'll know a bit later, right after you learn about standard and high image resolutions.

Standard Resolution

To print a standard picture, you need a resolution of a minimum of 72 DPI. Any digital camera can now produce a photo of this size. Even cell phones rarely have cameras that can't save photos at this resolution. This format is one that has a physical size of 10 x 15 cm. For commemorative prints, a larger format is usually chosen. Standard photo sizes also include 15 x 20 cm, 20 x 30 cm, and 30 x 45 cm. To print these photos, you will need a large image format. Yet when you see a picture and question yourself how to make an image with a higher resolution, perhaps the format is not right for you.

High-Resolution Picture

When we talk about high resolution, it means a high level of detail. If the resolution of a picture is 300 DPI, then it is safe to say that these pictures are of good quality. From their experience, photographers say that the resolution allowed for printing photos should be at least 150 DPI. And as practice shows, pictures with an extension of 150 DPI are often no worse than the same picture, but with a higher extension – 300 DPI and higher. A lot depends on the distance from which the picture will be viewed and what exactly is depicted on it.  

When choosing between these two options, keep in mind that the 72 DPI is only suitable for posting photos on web pages or social networks. And there's a good chance of making a photo with higher resolution. At the same time, 300 DPI is used more for digital publishing, such as banners, posters, pamphlets, and journals, because this resolution is sufficient for the printing of high-quality images and text.

How To Increase Image Resolution: 3 Methods

There are many ways to increase and magnify your photos in image editing software. And most of them are so well organized that when you resize images, the quality remains in the output and the photo doesn't become pixelated. So if you would like to know how to increase the size of your image, here are some ways to make your plans happen. Now when you have some time to spare, got yourself a cup of tea, and chosen the photos you want to process, it's time to get down to work. And Photoshop can be the first editor to help you do that. We will discuss how to increase the resolution of an image in Photoshop.

How To Increase Photo Resolution in Photoshop

The best way to get high-resolution images is by using appropriate camera equipment and settings. But if you are looking for ways to improve your photos, we recommend using Photoshop, or for a simpler option, try Luminar Neo’s Upscale AI (more about it below).

Photoshop is one of the programs which helps you enlarge the size of pics without losing quality, and at the same time turn your low-resolution images into high resolution. Most often, you want to create the image larger, but in rare cases, on the contrary, to reduce the file size, so to make it more compact and exportable.

In this case, resampling, a method of changing the resolution of your images by adding or removing pixels, can help. All resamplings change the quality of the picture because by adding pixels, the program guesses what these elements could be. 

The main interpolation methods:

• Automatically. Photoshop chooses a resampling technique depending on the type of photo.
• Bicubic Sharp. Suitable for reducing photo size for improving resolution.
• Preserve detail. Advanced sampling enhancement algorithm with the "Noise Reduction" slider.
• Adjacent pixels. Fits illustrations with rough margins without smoothing. 
• Bilinear. This mode adds new pixels by computing the middle color of the surrounding pixels. 
• Bicubic. Offers softer tonal gradients than the "Adjacent Pixels" and "Bilinear" methods. 
• Bicubic smoothing. Works well for enlarging photos. It gives smoother results.

You can resize the image without the pixel setting. Below you can read about both options and choose the one you like. And here are the steps for what you need to do:

1. Click on the Window, then Arrange, and you finally can open New Window Image, and indicate the file name. 
2. Open the image file in Photoshop.
3. From the column "Image", select the "Image Size" feature.
4. Uncheck "Resample" this will fix the current width and height of the photo.
5. Try to add new settings of width and height and Photoshop will automatically change and adjust the size to the new values.

As you can see this is not difficult at all and now you know how to improve the resolution of a photo simply. Only 5 steps and the photo is resized without affecting details. Everything is quick and you need no extra steps. Also if you want an image resizing you can edit your photo, if you notice any flaws. A wide range of tools in this software will guide you in making big changes.

How To Increase Picture Resolution without Photoshop (Luminar Neo)

In case you want to change an image without Photoshop, I have prepared a number of programs where you can change images as you need, such as Luminar Neo, Movavi Photo Editor, GIMP, Image Size, and so on. Many of them work like Photoshop, but with an easy-to-use interface. 

But today, of all this variety, we will discuss Luminar Neo. This is a popular photo editor based on AI technology. What is the advantage of using AI? It automates and simplifies all the tasks you’d do manually in traditional editors. How to increase a picture resolution using this program? It`s very simple! You just have to select the right tool. 

Luminar Neo is suitable for anyone, both beginners and professionals so you will have no problems with image enhancement. You can take a free image from the site you like, then from this blurry image using Luminar Neo`s tools, make a clear bright photo, and perhaps play with its size.

Step-by-step instructions on how you can resize images in Luminar Neo:

1. Drag and drop your image from the catalog in your workspace.
2. Click "Export" on the "File" menu.
3. Select "Resize" and "Long Edge" in the menu that appears.
4. Now you can change the values to the ones you want (the desired dimensions are entered in pixels).
5. Select the desired format of your new image.
6. Click Save and Export.

Luminar Neo is a great alternative to Photoshop if you need to make an image clearer, add effects, sharpen, or resize it. And you'll learn how to up the resolution of a photo with a couple of clicks. If you haven't had a chance to try Luminar Neo yet, you should take a chance. You won't regret your decision!

How To Increase Photo Resolution on Your Phone

About the programs on the PC, which I have already told you about, everything is clear, now we will talk about your phone. Yes, the probability that you will need to urgently use such an application from your phone is small, but still, it is. After all, you may get bored and want to spend your time with the usefulness for yourself and your social networks. Since there are apps for PCs, there are similar and simplified versions for iPhone and Android.

Pixlr

It's a very handy app that's making its way to the top lists of mobile photo apps. It works with many formats and has many tools for the quality processing of your photos. This program quickly and easily guides you on how to improve the resolution of an image.

PicsArt

It handles your photos with quality, and it also gives you the ability to enhance your editing capabilities with the help of ads. Unfortunately, it slows down the device, but otherwise, a great app.

Snapseed

A sufficient number of tools will help you in processing your photos. It has a limited list of formats that it supports. But it does have the advantage of minimal advertising. You just initially get a set of tools and make use of them for as long as you like.

Adobe Photoshop Express

Adobe Photoshop has also made its way here and is actively gaining in popularity. The only downside is that it only works on the newest versions of iPhone and Android. But there are advantages: a huge set of tools for color correction, noise, and shadows. It is possible to export to social networks. With this application, the question of how to get higher-resolution photos will be solved.

Instasize Photo Editor

This is a powerful photo and video editor. Its tools allow you to resize your photos, retouch them, do color correction, and use various filters. The only disadvantage of this program is that it takes up a lot of space on your phone.

Mendr

This is a great app that will make all the changes for you. You need to change the background, remove unnecessary objects, change colors, and resize. Anything you think you need, you select and the app does it for you. The app also notifies you when it starts and when it finishes. The app is worth paying attention to.

Image Size

A good free app that will do its job well and enlarge the photos you want. The only thing you'll pay for if you want is to turn off ads. Otherwise, it's a handy app for improving photo resolution that's worth checking out.

Of course, this is not the whole list of photo editing and resizing apps, but these are the main popular apps that will make you a fan after 1 collaboration. Most of them are free, so you can download and decide for yourself which one you might need when you need it urgently or want to process a photo.

There is also another way to adjust the resolution on your phone - with the settings in the Camera app. You can check your phone for such an option by going to settings. and selecting the appropriate resolution. Of course, though, you'll have more power-ups in the apps than in the standard camera settings.

How to Increase an Image Resolution Online

And another option that you don't need to download to your PC is websites where you can resize online images. This is also convenient, especially if you have a stable Internet connection. But they are all similar in terms of resolution mechanism, so let's consider working online on a version using Image Resizer as an example.

Image Resizer features:

• The ability to use an unlimited number of times of increasing the resolution of an image.
• Powerful and fast processing.
• You can modify several photos at the same time.
• It is easy to work with, a user-friendly interface.

How do you resize a pic online:

• Select the image for resizing in Image Resizer.
• Preview all selected photos in Image Resizer.
• Adjust the width, height, and quality of the image accordingly.
• Alternatively, add or remove photos from the list.
• Finally, upload resized pics from Image Resizer.

As far as you might have noticed it is a fairly easy-to-navigate application. All you need to do is select pictures for handling, and Image Resizer will do everything for you. If you're not sure if you want to install a photo enlargement app on your phone or PC, you can find websites on the Internet where you can experiment. After all, many have editing functions other than resizing.

Closing Thoughts

After reading this entire article, you probably realized that no matter what tool you have in your hands, you'll still get what you want. And no matter what it will be: a mobile app, a website, or a program – in the end, you will get a resized photo. And now that you know more aspects and have freed up an evening to modify your images, think about which way you personally like it and use it.

FAQ

How Can I Enhance the Resolution of a JPEG Image?

Enhancing the resolution of a JPEG image can be achieved through various software and online platforms. Tools like Luminar Neo, GIMP, and online platforms like Let's Enhance offer options to upscale images. However, note that increasing the resolution doesn't always mean you'll get a clearer image. It's best to start with the highest resolution image possible.

What Are the Ways to Increase Picture Resolution Without Cost?

When looking to fix the resolution on a picture, there are several free tools and software options to consider. GIMP is a powerful open-source image editing tool that allows upscaling photo online. Online platforms like Simple Image Resizer and ResizeImage.net can also help in increasing resolution for free. Just remember that upscaling too much can lead to loss of image quality.

How Do I Fix a Picture with Too Low Resolution?

When looking for the best way to increase resolution of an image, Luminar Neo stands out as a top choice. One of its prominent features is "Upscale AI." This tool can effortlessly transform a pixelated or blurry picture into a crisp, high-definition photo. 

To use it, simply open your low-resolution photo in Luminar Neo, select the Upscale AI option, and tweak it to fit your needs. After making the necessary adjustments and achieving the desired quality, you can then click "Share to" to save your enhanced image.

How Do I Upscale a Picture to 4K?

To upscale a picture to 4k using Luminar Neo:

1. Open Luminar Neo and drag your image into the workspace.

2. Click "Share to" on the panel.

3. In the export settings, select "Resize" and then "Long Edge."

4. Input the value "3840 pixels" for the long edge, as this is the standard width for a 4k resolution image (4k resolution is typically 3840 pixels × 2160 pixels).

5. Choose the desired format for your upscaled image.

6. Click on "Save."

This process will upscale your image to near 4k resolution, enhancing its clarity and detail. However, the final quality of the upscaled image will depend on the original image's quality.

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