AI tools
Upscale a small photo for laser engraving
A laser file has one pixel per dot, so a large engraving needs a large photo. When yours is too small, the app tells you by how much and offers an AI upscale.
Why resolution matters for engraving
The pixels a file needs are its size in inches times the DPI. A 4 in coaster at 254 DPI needs 1016 pixels across. An 8 × 10 in plaque needs 2032 × 2540. Photos from messaging apps and social media are often far smaller than that, and old scanned prints can be small too.
If the photo is too small, it gets stretched to fit. Stretching makes edges soft, and the dither then turns that softness into fuzzy, uncertain dots. Faces lose their eyes first. Use the DPI calculator to check what your size needs.
What the app tells you
Easy Mode compares your crop with the size and DPI you chose. When the photo is short, it says so in plain numbers, for example: "Your photo is 512 px; a 4 in print at 254 DPI needs 1016 px. Upscale 2×?" If even 4× will not get you there, it adds that you should print smaller or lower the DPI.
Upscale is one of the AI tools, with a choice of 2× or 4×. It runs before the material settings, so the dither works on the larger, cleaner photo instead of a stretched one.
What an upscaler can and cannot do
An upscaler adds pixels and sharpens edges in a way that looks natural. It cannot recover detail that was never captured. A blurry face stays a face that the model has guessed at, and generative models in particular can change features, which matters for portraits of people and pets. For portraits, prefer a model that keeps your original pixels, and compare before and after with the magnifier.
Order matters with old photos. Run Restore old photo or Denoise and deblur first, then upscale, so the upscaler is not enlarging scratches and noise. In a Batch recipe the suggested chain is restore, then upscale 2×, then remove background.
When not to upscale
If the shortfall is small, lowering the DPI a little or printing slightly smaller is free and often invisible on wood or cork, where the grain hides fine detail anyway. Upscaling pays off most on materials that show fine detail, such as anodized aluminum and black slate.
Cost and privacy
AI tools need an account and are billed per image by the provider of the model you choose, with the estimated cost shown before you run it. The photo is sent to that provider through our server. Without AI steps, the app runs in your browser and the photo stays on your device. Set your favourite upscale model in AI models.
Step by step
Open the photo in Easy Mode
Drop the photo and crop it to the blank. The crop decides how many source pixels you really have.
Set size and DPI
Enter the engraving size and pick your laser. Easy Mode shows the pixels needed and warns if the photo is short.
Fix the photo first if it is old
Run Restore old photo or Denoise and deblur before upscaling, so defects are not enlarged.
Upscale 2× or 4×
Pick Upscale in the AI tools step, choose the factor and the model, check the estimated cost and run it.
Compare and prepare
Check faces with Before and After and the magnifier, then pick the material and prepare the file.
Questions
Short, specific answers. Every material and tool is in the guides.
- How do I know if my photo is big enough?
- Multiply the engraving width in inches by the DPI. If your photo has fewer pixels across, it is too small. Easy Mode does this check for you.
- Should I upscale 2× or 4×?
- Use the smallest factor that reaches the pixels you need. The app suggests a factor based on your size and DPI.
- Will upscaling change my photo?
- It adds pixels and sharpens. Generative models can also change faces or markings, so for portraits pick a model that keeps the original pixels and compare before and after.
- Can I upscale a whole folder?
- Yes. Add Upscale as an AI step in a Batch recipe. Each AI step is billed per image. See batch preparing photos.
- Is it free?
- No. AI tools are billed per image by the provider of the model you pick, and need an account. The cost is shown before you run anything.
- What if 4× is still not enough?
- Print smaller or lower the DPI. The app tells you when even the largest factor falls short.
Keep going
Start with your own photo.
One Click, Easy Mode and Batch run in your browser. Sign up free with an email link, no card.
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