Add a photo
Choose or drag in a PNG, JPEG, or WebP image, or load the sample. The file stays on your device.
Private browser tool
Free Image Sharpener
An image sharpener makes a soft photo look crisper by increasing contrast along its edges. This free photo sharpener applies an adjustable unsharp mask privately in your browser, shows a before and after comparison, and downloads the result at full resolution.
No uploads Before and after preview Full-resolution download
Sharpening boosts the contrast of edges that are already in the photo. It cannot recover detail that was never captured, so badly out-of-focus or heavily compressed images will look crisper but not truly sharp. Too much strength adds bright halos and grain.
How it works
Sharpen a photo in four private steps
Adjust the strength
Raise the strength until edges look crisp. Use radius for the width of the edges and threshold to keep smooth areas clean.
Compare before and after
Drag the comparison divider and switch to 100% zoom to check faces, text, and fine texture for halos or grain.
Download the result
Download a PNG, which keeps transparency, or a JPEG at the original width and height.
Image sharpener FAQ
How do I sharpen a blurry photo online?
Add the photo, raise the strength slider until edges look crisp, and compare before and after at 100% zoom. When it looks right, download a PNG or JPEG at the original size.
Can an image sharpener fix a very blurry photo?
Only partly. Sharpening increases contrast along edges that are already there, so slightly soft photos improve a lot. It cannot rebuild detail lost to heavy motion blur, missed focus, or strong compression.
Is my image uploaded to a server?
No. Decoding, sharpening, previewing, and exporting all happen in your browser. AICurate never receives or stores the image.
What do strength, radius, and threshold do?
Strength sets how much edge contrast is added. Radius sets how wide the sharpened edges are, so use small values for fine detail and larger values for soft photos. Threshold skips tiny differences so skin, sky, and noise stay smooth.
Does sharpening change the image size or transparency?
No. The download keeps the original width and height. PNG keeps transparent areas, while JPEG fills them with white because the format has no transparency.
Related free tools
Free Image Cropper
Crop the sharpened photo to a square, widescreen, or custom frame before you publish it.
Open toolFree Blur Image Tool
Soften a background or hide faces, names, and numbers before you share an image.
Open toolFree Alt Text Generator
Write clear, accessible alt text for the finished image.
Open toolShare industry news without the busywork
AICurate helps associations discover, review, publish, and email relevant news from one branded hub.