Image Utilities
Add Color to Black-and-White Photos
Colorize adds natural-looking color to black-and-white photos. You upload the photo, and the AI chooses colors for skin, sky, clothes and everything else in the picture.
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Free account to start · No watermark on results
How do I colorize a black-and-white photo?
Open Colorize in the Image Utilities part of the PixeLift web app, upload the black-and-white photo and select Colorize Photo. The AI adds natural-looking color to skin, sky, clothes and everything else in the picture. Compare the result with the original, and if a color is wrong, fix it with a typed edit.
- Sign in to PixeLift and open Image Utilities in the dashboard.
- Choose Colorize and upload your black-and-white photo.
- Select Colorize Photo, compare the result with the Before / After button, then save or share it.
Are the colors accurate?
Not necessarily. The AI has learned from color photos what skies, skin, grass, wood and fabric usually look like, and it applies the most likely colors to your picture.
It can't know what the real colors were, because many different colors turn into the same shade of gray in a black-and-white photo. A dress that was red may come out blue, and uniforms, cars and painted walls are often a guess. Treat the colors as an impression, not a record.
Source: Science Line: why AI can't know the colors in old photos
Can I fix a color the AI got wrong?
Yes. If you know the real color of something, choose Edit on the result and type it, for example "make the dress dark red". Keep the black-and-white original, so you can start again.
Should I restore a photo before adding color?
Yes, if the print is faded, soft or scratched. Run it through the AI Photo Enhancer first and colorize the improved version. The restoration guide explains the order step by step.
More questions
Will a phone photo of a print work?
Yes, as long as the print is flat, evenly lit and free of glare. A scan usually keeps more detail.
Can it bring back the color in a faded color photo?
Colorize is made for black-and-white photos. For a color print that has faded, try the AI Photo Enhancer instead.
Does colorizing change faces or other details?
It shouldn't: the tool is told only to add color. But the AI redraws the whole picture to do it, so compare faces and small details with the original before you print or share it.
Can I colorize several photos at once?
No. The web app works on one photo at a time.
Using the tools needs credits or a plan: see pricing. The rules for what you may edit are in the Acceptable Use Policy.
Guides on restoring old photos
Repair faded, scratched and soft old prints, and add color to black-and-white ones. Start with the photo restoration guide, which links to every article on the topic.
Try it on your own photo
You need a free account. Results have no watermark, and you can compare them with your original before you save.