Sharpen blurry and fuzzy images with free apps and programs. Step by step explained for cell phone, desktop and browser. Lets find out how to make an image sharper using your smartphone, PC or Mac.
It’s happened to all of us. Unfortunately, sometimes we take an important picture that is a little blurry. You don’t need expensive software or extensive specialist knowledge to make blurred images sharp again. In this article, you’ll learn how to use a mobile app, computer program, or website to sharpen blurry images. You can make your photos look as “sharp” as possible in just a few minutes.
Make an image sharper with smartphone
The best way to make an image sharper with an app on your smartphone is to use the “Adobe Lightroom for mobile devices” app. Adobe Lightroom is from the same company that sells the well-known Photoshop. While Photoshop is primarily for professionals, Lightroom offers slightly fewer options but is easier to use, and you can easily edit photos with it. So, it’s ideal if you want to get pictures in focus on the go.
- Download the app – it’s available for iPhone/iPad and Android. You don’t need the premium features offered if you just want to sharpen pictures. You’ll need to give the app access to the photos initially. Select “Share photos” when you first open the app. Alternatively, you can share photos in your smartphone’s settings.
- Press on the blue box in the bottom right corner. Use the left part of the button to select a photo from the phone memory.
- Tap on the “Details” menu item on the toolbar at the bottom. If you don’t see the menu item right away, you can swipe the toolbar.
- An editing view with several parameters will open. The top one is the sharpness. Move the small ball on the bar to the right to make the image sharp.
- Tap the save icon on the top right.
- The edited photo is now available on your smartphone.
Sharpening images on PC or Mac with GIMP
There are a variety of applications on the desktop that allow you to sharpen blurry images. One popular option is the GIMP software. GIMP is considered the free alternative to the already mentioned Photoshop. For hobby photographers and all other private users, it is quite sufficient. You can work more accurately with a desktop program than image editing with a smartphone and a website. Nevertheless, make a blurry images sharper with the GIMP app requires only a few steps:
- Download GIMP. There are versions for Microsoft Windows, OS X, or GNU/ Linux.
- Install the GIMP on your PC or Mac and open it.
- Go to File > Open and select a photo on your computer.
- Zoom into the image by clicking on “View”> “Point by Point.”
- Your screen’s resolution is probably not enough to display the full photo. Hold down the space bar and move the image with the mouse to a place where you can easily judge the sharpness. Faces or detailed objects are good candidates.
- Click on Filter > Enhance > Sharpen (Unsharp Mask).
- Increase the parameter “Amount” to make images sharp.
- You can also experiment with the other two parameters. If you are happy with the result, then press OK.
- Save a new version of the image with “File > Save as…”. It is recommended not to overwrite the old file. You cannot undo the image sharpening later.
Make an image sharper online with Pinetools
If you are sitting at a computer where you are not allowed or don’t like to install programs, you can also use a website. You can make an image sharper online on the website “Pinetools.” The service is free and works in all common browsers. English knowledge is a bit of an advantage. Unfortunately, the website is not yet available in German.
- Go to Pinetools.
- Click on “Open File” in the submenu “INPUT IMAGE” and select your photo.
- Use the slider “STRENGTH” to adjust the strength of the sharpness effect. Attention. The changes are not visible immediately.
- Click the green “SHARPEN” button to start the editing process. Usually, it takes a few seconds.
- The finished image will appear on the right side next to the original image. With the magnifying glass icon, you can take a closer look at the result. If you are not completely satisfied, repeat steps 3 to 4.
- Next to the disk icon, you will find options to save the image. It’s best to use PNG or JPG. The download will start immediately after the click, and the photo will end up in your download folder.
Our conclusion
No matter on which platform you are: Sharpening pictures is done in a few minutes and clicks. No matter if you choose a special tool or just do it online. Do you have any questions, or are you interested in this topic? Please feel free to write us in the contact.
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