5 Easiest Ways to Enhance Your JPEG Quality

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Make blurry JPEG images crisp and clear with this user-friendly guide
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Do you have a blurry, grainy, or pixelated JPEG file that you want to fix or enhance? You can easily improve the quality of a JPEG photo by fine-tuning the image’s appearance, color, and contrast with a photo editor such as Pixlr or Photoshop. You can also use built-in photo editing apps on your PC or Mac to make simple edits. This wikiHow will show you how to boost JPEG image quality using free photo-editing software or Adobe Photoshop on your Windows or Mac computer.

Enhancing JPEG Image Quality: Fast Facts

  • JPEG is a “lossy” file type that isn’t ideal for creating high-quality images. However, you can enhance a JPEG by adjusting sharpness, color balance, and brightness.
  • Many photo editors, like Pixlr and the Windows Photos app, can improve a JPEG’s resolution and sharpness with AI.
  • Crop your image to remove unwanted areas, or reduce image size to make it look sharper.
Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Using Adobe Photoshop

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  1. Photoshop has a blue icon with "Ps" in the middle. You need a subscription to use Adobe Photoshop. You can purchase a subscription and download Photoshop from https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop.html .
    • If you want to improve images for use in apps like Facebook or Instagram, this method won’t be as helpful as using an app with filters. Pixlr contains free filters that disguise imperfect JPEGs. If you want to make your photos pop and don’t care about compression loss, try Pixlr.
    • To open an image, click File → Open → select the image → Open .
  2. When editing an image in Photoshop, it's a good idea to save a copy of the original image. That way if you make a mistake, you can reload the unedited original.
    • Click File → Save as → enter a new name → select file type → Save .
  3. A file’s size is determined by its pixel count. The higher the pixel count, the larger the file. Emailing, uploading, and downloading large JPEGs is a slow process. Resizing your image to a smaller pixel count will allow you to share your pictures faster. Note: Increasing an image size will not increase the quality of how an image looks. However, reducing an image size may result in some loss of detail. Make slight adjustments to the image size when increasing the size of an image.
    • To resize the image, click Image in the top toolbar → Image Size → enter the desired pixel size → OK .
  4. Cropping allows you to easily remove unwanted portions of a photo. Cropping an image will also reduce the file’s size. [1] The Crop Tool has an icon that resembles two right angles overlapping. It's near the top of the toolbar to the left. Use the following steps to crop an image:
    • Click the Crop Tool icon in the toolbar to the left.
    • Click and drag over the area of the photo you want to keep.
    • Click and drag the corners of the cropping areas to manually adjust the cropping area size.
    • Press Enter to crop the image.
  5. You can find the Reduce Noise filter in the Filter menu.
    • To use the Reduce Noise filter, click Filter → Noise → Reduce Noise .
  6. Place a check in the box that says Preview on the top left side of the filter window. This is how you can see your changes in real time. Drag the slider bars to adjust the filter settings. The slider bars are as follows: [2]
    • Strength: This number will reflect the desired degree of noise removal; it should be higher for JPEGs of lesser quality. Drag the slider to the right to see the effect of raising the strength setting.
    • Preserve Details: A lower percentage will make the picture blurrier and softer, but will also reduce more noise.
    • Sharpen Details: You may want to compensate for a low Preserve Details setting with a higher Sharpen Details setting, as that will make the edges of your image clearer.
    • Check the box that says " Remove JPEG artifact ". This attempts to remove the mosquito noise and blockiness that occurs when JPEG images are saved in a compressed format. [3]
    • Once you’re satisfied with the preview image, click OK to save the new image.
  7. Depending on what the photo needs, you can use the Smart Sharpen filter to enhance details in a photo or the Smart Blur filter to soften a photo. Use the following steps to use the Smart Sharpen or Smart Blur filter:
    • Click Filter in the menu bar at the top.
    • Hover over Blur or Sharpen
    • Click Smart Blur or Smart Sharpen .
    • Click the checkbox next to "Preview" to see how the effect changes the image.
    • Use the slider bars to adjust the filter as needed. The slider bars are as follows:
      • Radius: This determines the size of the spots that will be reduced.
      • Threshold/Amount: This determines the color differences needed to determine the spots that the filter is applied to.
    • Click OK .
  8. You may see some color-blocking (tiny colored squares) in large areas without much fine detail (i.e., sky, solid-color backgrounds, and clothing). Your goal is to make the different color transitions in the image as smooth as possible while leaving important details in specific objects. Use the following steps to color over mosquito noise and color-blocking.
    • Press " CTRL and + " on Windows or " Command and + " on Mac to zoom in on the area with color-blocking.
    • Click the icon that resembles an eyedropper in the toolbar to the left to select the Eyedropper Tool.
    • Click the main color of the area you want to color over to sample the color.
    • Click the icon that resembles a paintbrush in the toolbar to the left to select the Paintbrush Tool.
    • Click the icon with a circle (or selected brush type) above the toolbar to the left to open the Brush menu.
    • Set the brush hardness to 10%, opacity to 40%, and flow to 100%.
    • Press " [ " and " ] " to change the brush size.
    • Use one-click dabs over color-blocks and mosquito noise.
  9. [4] The Clone Stamp tool is useful on rough textures like skin, drywall, and pavement. Rather than using a single color, the Clone Stamp samples a texture and then stamps the texture over blemishes, spots, and marks. Use the following steps to use the Clone Stamp tool to stamp out any flaws and blemishes in the image:
    • Click the icon that resembles a rubber stamp in the toolbar to the left.
    • Click the icon with a circle (or selected brush type) above the toolbar to the left to open the Brush menu.
    • Set hardness to 50% or less.
    • Set the opacity to 100%.
    • Press "[" and "]" to change the brush size.
    • Hold " Alt " on PC or " Option " on Mac and click the area right next to a spot or blemish to sample the texture.
    • Click once over the spot or blemish.
    • Repeat for all other spots and blemishes (sample a new texture for each click.
  10. Photoshop is equipped with multiple brush-like tools that are capable of erasing minor flaws or altering the entire picture. Click one of these tools in the toolbar to the left. Photoshop has many tools grouped under a single icon. Click and hold an icon to view all tools grouped with that icon and click the tool you want to use. Then click the icon with a circle (or select type) in the upper-left corner and select a brush type and size. You can also press " [ " and " ] " to change the brush size. For best results, use one of the circle brushes with the soft edges. These tools include:
    • Sharpen: It has an icon that resembles a prism. Use this tool to sharpen soft edges. Sharpen is grouped with the Blur and Smudge tools.
    • Blur: It has an icon that resembles a drop. Use this tool to soften harsh edges. The Blur tool is grouped with the Sharpen and Smudge tools.
    • Smudge: It has an icon that resembles a pointing finger. Use this tool to blend pixels together. Smudge is grouped with the Blur and Sharpen tools.
    • Sponge: It has an icon that resembles a sponge. Use this tool to “soak up” or “saturate” color in spots. The Sponge tool is grouped with the Dodge and Burn tools.
    • Dodge: It has an icon that resembles a bulb syringe. Use this tool to increase the image’s brightness in spots. The Dodge tool is grouped with the Sponge and Burn tools.
    • Burn: It has an icon that resembles a hand pinching. Use this tool to darken or add shadows in spots of an image. The Burn tool is grouped with the Dodge and Sponge tools.
    • Spot Heal: It has an icon that resembles a double-ended brush. Use this tool to remove blemishes and scratches in spots. The spot heal tool is grouped with the red-eye tool.
    • Red-Eye Reduction: It has an icon that resembles a red eye. This tool removes red eyes in a photo by clicking and dragging over the entire eye. The Red-Eye tool is grouped with the Spot Heal tool.
    EXPERT TIP

    Kari Bjorn

    Photographer
    Kari Bjorn is a Professional Photographer based in West Hartford, Connecticut. With nearly 10 years in the industry, Kari is a specialist in Film and Digital Wedding Photography. He has a wide array of photography interests and experiences. Kari is originally from Iceland and came to the US a decade ago to pursue photography at the Parsons School of Design in New York City. His previous editorial and commercial clients include Vanity Fair, InStyle, UN Women, The French-American Foundation, Plug & Play, KRANTZ + KRANTZ, and NPR. Kari has exhibited his work at the Aperture Gallery in New York City, the Eastern State Penitentiary Museum in Philadelphia, and Fotografiska in Stockholm, Sweden. He also had a solo exhibition at I Kring 03 in Reykjavik, Iceland in 2019.
    Kari Bjorn
    Photographer

    Use the Sharpen tool to improve blurry areas. Depending on how blurry the image is, you can use the Sharpen tool to enhance the edges of somebody's face to make it seem a little bit more in focus. However, if the image is totally out of focus, there's not a whole lot you can do.

  11. Photoshop has many adjustments that allow you to enhance an image's color, brightness, hue, and saturation. Brightness affects the overall brightness or darkness of an image's colors. Contrast affects the differences between light and dark colors. Hue changes the colors of an image. Saturation affects the intensity of the colors of an image. Use the following steps to adjust the image's color:
    • Click Image
    • Click Adjustment .
    • Click Brightness & Contrast or Hue & Saturation .
    • Use the slider bars to adjust the image's brightness, contrast, hue, or saturation.
    • Click OK when you are happy with how the image looks.
  12. Once you are done editing your image, follow these steps to save it.
    • Click File → Save As → enter a name for the image → select file format → Save .
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Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Using Pixlr

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  1. 1
    Go to https://pixlr.com/express/ in a web browser. Pixlr is a powerful photo-editing tool used by professionals and photo-editing enthusiasts. Pixlr offers a free online editor. You may also upgrade to a more advanced version of the product with a regular subscription.
    • You may need to sign up for a free account to access all the tools you want.
    • Pixlr Express supports images up to 4k (3840 x 2160) resolution. If you need to edit images that are larger than that, you may want to use professional photo editing software like Adobe Photoshop .
  2. 2
    Open the image you want to edit. Click Open Image on the left side of the screen, then locate the image you want to edit. Use the navigator window to find the image. Double-click the image to open it, or select it and click Open .
  3. 3
    Use AI tools for a quick and easy edit. Pixlr can enhance your photos with AI in just a couple of clicks. To access these tools, click the button that looks like a pair of stars in the left-hand menu bar. [5] Try one or all of the following options:
    • Super Scale allows you to upsize your image without losing any quality. This tool uses AI to interpolate and retain detail that would normally be lost if you scaled up your JPEG image. Click the button and select one of the scale presets.
    • Super Sharp uses AI to sharpen blurry images in a natural-looking way.
    • Remove Noise gets rid of grain, artifacts, and other unwanted “noise” in your image.
  4. 4
    Use Pixlr Editor for more advanced editing tools. If you want to adjust your image manually, you’ll find more options by going to https://pixlr.com/editor/ . Upload the image you want to edit.
  5. 5
    Click the padlock icon. This will be in the menu bar at the top of your image. This will unlock the layer you’re working with. You'll now be able to edit your image.
  6. A file’s size is determined by its pixel count—the higher the pixel count, the larger the file. Emailing , uploading, and downloading large JPEGs is a slow process. Resizing your image to a smaller pixel count will allow you to share your pictures faster. Note: Increasing an image size will not increase the quality of how an image looks. However, reducing an image size may result in loss of detail.
    • To resize the image, drag one of the four corners of the image inward. Your aspect ratio should be Fixed automatically, which means the height and width ratio will stay the same as the image shrinks.
    • If your original image is very large, Pixlr might offer to resize it for you automatically when you initially upload it.
  7. Cropping allows you to easily remove unwanted portions of a photo. Cropping an image will also reduce the file’s size. The crop tool has an icon that resembles two right angles overlapping. You can find this below the Lasso Select tool on the left side of the image.
    • To crop the image, click any of the white selection points at the corners or sides of the canvas and drag it inward.
    • Adjust the frame as needed, then click Apply at the top toolbar.
  8. The Clarity filter can be used to either enhance details in a photo, or blur a photo that has too much detail.
    • At the top toolbar, click Filter → Details → Clarity.. .
    • Drag the circle to the right to enhance details or towards the left to decrease details.
    • Click Apply when finished.
  9. If the Clarity filter isn't enough, you can use the Blur or Sharpen filter to further enhance or blur details. The Sharpen filter can be used to enhance details, and the Blur filter can be used to blur the image details.
    • At the top toolbar, click Filter → Details → Sharpen or Blur .
    • Drag the circle left or right to adjust the settings.
    • Click Apply when finished.
    • There’s also an AI super sharp tool near the top of the Filter menu. Use this to sharpen your image automatically.
  10. The Remove Noise filter can be used to remove or reduce spots, grain, fuzz, and photo imperfections.
    • At the top toolbar, click Filter → Details → Remove Noise.. .
    • Increase or decrease the slider bars as needed.
      • Radius: This determines the size of the spots that will be reduced.
      • Threshold: This determines the color differences needed to determine the spots that will be reduced.
    • Click Apply when finished.
    • You can also use the AI remove noise tool (near the top of the Filter menu) to automatically remove grain from your image.
  11. The Clone tool has an icon that resembles a rubber stamp. It can be used to remove blemishes or spots in a photo by sampling the area next to the blemish or spot and then stamping over it. Depending on the background and your skill with the brush, you can also use the Clone tool to remove large, unsightly objects in a photo.
    • Click the Clone tool in the toolbar to the left.
    • Click an area next to the spot you want to remove to sample the closest texture.
    • Click over the blemish or spot.
    • Repeat for additional blemishes and spots.
  12. Pixlr is equipped with multiple brush-like tools that are capable of erasing minor flaws or altering the entire picture. Click one of these tools in the toolbar to the left. Then click Brush in the upper-left corner and select a brush type and size. For best results, use one of the circle brushes with the soft edges. These tools include:
    • Sharpen/Blur/Smudge: It has an icon that resembles a drop. Click this tool in the toolbar to the left and select the mode you want next to "Mode" in the panel at the top. The options are as follows:
      • Sharpen: Use this tool to sharpen soft edges.
      • Blur: Use this tool to soften harsh edges.
      • Smudge: Use this tool to blend pixels together.
    • Sponge/Color: It has an icon that resembles a sun. Click this tool in the toolbar to the left. Select Increase or Decrease next to "Mode" in the panel at the top to increase or decrease the effect. Select the specific color correction method next to "Method" in the panel at the top. The methods are as follows:
      • Vibrance: This method increases or decreases the intensity of muted colors.
      • Saturation: This method increases or decreases the intensity of all colors.
      • Temperature: Increasing this method adds more red or orange. Decreasing this method adds more blue or purple.
    • Dodge/Burn: It has an icon that resembles a half-filled circle. Click this tool in the toolbar to the left. Select Lighten next to "Mode" to brighten parts of an image. Select Darken next to "Mode" to darken parts of an image. You can also select if you want to affect Shadows , Midtones , and Highlights next to "Range".
    • Spot Heal: It has an icon that resembles a band-aid. Use this tool to remove blemishes and scratches in spots.
  13. Pixlr has many adjustments that allow you to enhance an image's color, brightness, hue, and saturation. Brightness affects the overall brightness or darkness of an image's colors. Contrast affects the differences between light and dark colors. Hue changes the colors of an image. Saturation affects the intensity of the colors of an image. Temperature makes the colors warmer or cooler, while Tint can change the overall color balance of your image.
    • Click Adjustment in the top toolbar.
    • Click Brightness & Contrast , Temperature & Tint , or Hue & Saturation .
    • Use the slider bars to adjust the image's colors or brightness.
    • Click Apply when finished.
  14. Once you have finished editing your image, you'll need to save it. High-quality images are less compressed, and the pixels retain more data. This results in a large file and a crisp picture. Low-quality images are more compressed, and the pixels contain less data. This creates a small file size and a less crisp, or more pixelated, picture.
    • To save your image, click File in the top-right corner. Click Save , select JPG as the format, then Save as .
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Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Using Photos (Windows)

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  1. The Photos app comes with your Windows PC. If needed, you can install it from the Windows store.
    • If Photos isn't your default image viewer, right-click the image → Open with → Photos .
  2. This looks like an eye-dropper tool in front of a picture, located at the top toolbar.
    • You can also press CTRL + E on your keyboard.
  3. 3
    Try out the Super resolution tool. If you have a PC with Copilot+, you can use Super resolution to upscale and sharpen your JPEG with AI. This tool uses AI to fill in the data that would otherwise be lost if you tried to sharpen or size up a lower-quality JPEG using traditional photo editing tools. To do it: [6]
    • Select Super resolution from the edit tools.
    • Choose your desired new resolution.
    • Check the before and after preview to see if the enhancement looks how you want it to.
  4. Click the "Filters" icon. This is the paintbrush icon located next to the crop tool.
    • Click the magic wand underneath Enhance your photo . This will make the colors of your image brighter and more saturated. Drag the line left and right to adjust its intensity.
  5. Click the "Adjustments" icon. This looks like a sun with a black-and-white center.
    • Drag the line underneath Clarity to the right. This will sharpen your image.
    • Drag the line underneath Light or Color to adjust to your preferences.
  6. If you want to save these changes to your original image, click the down arrow, then Save .
  7. This will save your improved image to your computer.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Using Microsoft Paint (Windows)

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  1. You can right-click the image and choose Open with > Paint to do so. Paint may be a simple image editing program, but you can use it to crop and resize photos easily.
  2. This will be on the Home tab, underneath Crop .
  3. You can use the Horizontal or Vertical field. It will be at 100% by default.
    • Be sure to check the box next to Maintain aspect ratio to avoid your image being stretched.
  4. This will apply your changes. Because your image is smaller, blurry images will look sharper.
  5. Click File , then Save to apply changes to the original image.
    • To save the changes as a new image, click File , then Save as . Enter a name for the new file, then click Save .
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Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Using Photos on Mac

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  1. 1
    Open the photo you want to edit in the Photos app. Photos is the built-in photo viewing app on Mac. You can also use it to do simple photo edits. To get started, browse the menu on the left side of the window to find the JPEG you want to enhance.
    • You can also go to File > Import to import the photo into the app if you can’t find it in the library.
  2. 2
    Click the magic wand tool to adjust your image automatically. You’ll find this tool in the top right corner of the app window. Click it to automatically enhance things like the brightness, contrast, and color balance of your image.
  3. 3
    Click Edit for more options. This button is at the very far right side of the top menu bar. In this menu, you can adjust things like the brightness, color balance, and sharpness or definition of your image. Each of these options also comes with an “auto” option if you don’t want to fiddle with the controls yourself.
    • There are also noise reduction and red-eye correction options.
    • Click Done in the top left corner when you’re finished making your adjustments. You can also reset any unwanted changes by clicking Reset Adjustments at the bottom of the right-hand menu.
  4. 4
    Try the Clean Up tool if you have Apple Intelligence. If your Mac has Apple Intelligence, you can use the Clean Up tool to automatically remove noise, spots, or distracting objects from your image using AI. From the Edit menu, click the Clean Up tab at the top of the window. Set the tool size with the slider at the top of the right-hand menu, then circle or brush over the object or area you want to clean up.
    • This tool uses AI to remove unwanted objects and fill in the empty area based on data from the surrounding parts of the picture.
    • If you don’t like the result, click the Reset Clean Up button at the bottom of the menu.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What buttons on my keyboard do press to fix image quality in Indesign, Photoshop etc? Can't remember it.
    Satish Sharma
    Community Answer
    You can improve image quality of any type of image in Photoshop. First open Photoshop then resize the photo in its original size. Then you needed a plugin named Topaz Adjust.
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      • Don't be afraid to play around with brush and rubber stamp settings, especially as you get more experienced with Photoshop. If you don't like the way a dab affected your image, change the settings.
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      • Photoshop's history only saves a certain number of past clicks, and you will be making lots of clicks to fix your image up. You might zoom out and realize a huge flaw that was made more clicks ago than Photoshop saved. You can increase the number of save slots by clicking Edit followed by Preferences . Click Performance and set the save slots to 100 or more.
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      • If you're working with a photograph, pay attention to the different colors present. A blue flower may have shades of blue, navy, green, purple, tan, etc. depending on the lighting, shadows, and reflections. Try your best to incorporate these colors as much as possible with a low-opacity brush tool. Consider switching to the rubber stamp tool if there is an overwhelming number of different colors in a small space.
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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about digital photography, check out our in-depth interview with Kari Bjorn .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.adobe.com/uk/creativecloud/photography/discover/increase-resolution.html#_Can_you_increase
      2. ↑ https://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-editing/reduce-noise/
      3. ↑ https://blog.topazlabs.com/jpeg-artifacts-vs-image-noise/
      4. ↑ https://digital-photography-school.com/12-tips-for-mastering-the-clone-stamp-tool-in-photoshop/
      5. ↑ https://pixlr.com/tools/enhance-image/
      6. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/super-resolution-in-photos-1e55d7b6-d62c-460b-a957-fc01d896c334

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Open the JPEG in an editor.
      2. Resize and crop as needed.
      3. Reduce the image noise using the Reduce Noise filter.
      4. Use Filters such as Blur or Sharpen to enhance the photo.
      5. Retouch fine details with the Clone Stamp.
      6. Refine color and contrast using adjustments.
      7. Save the image as a JPEG.
      For more tips, including how to improve your JPEG image quality using Adobe Photoshop, read on!

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