"Hello. I'm hoping this sub can help me out. I recently scanned about 10,000 old family photos and a few thousand of them have a faint line over them from dust being stuck in the scanner. I did my best to clean it during the scanning process but couldn't always see when it was happening. Anyway I'm looking for suggestions on how best to mass-edit (remove dust, remove scratches, restore/enhance) these photos to clean them up." - Reddit user

If you are looking for some tips on how to restore your precious family photos without the hassle of re-scanning them, I have good news for you. Today, AI technology has photo scratch removal that removes scratches and other imperfections. So, in this article, we’ll explore the best 5 AI-powered photo scratch removal tools to help you restore your images.

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In this article
    1. Top 1. Repairit Photo Repair [BEST]
    2. Top 2. SoftOrbits Old Photo Restoration
    3. Top 3. Photoshop Scratch Removal
    4. Top 4. PhotoWorks
    5. Top 5. Luminar Neo

Part 1. Why Remove Scratches From Pictures?

Old photos often carry immense sentimental value of memories from family, friends, and significant life events. However, scratches, dust, and other imperfections can detract from their charm, making them look aged and damaged. Here are key reasons why removing scratches from pictures is essential:

  • Preserve Memories. Scratches can obscure important details in photos, such as faces, expressions, or background elements. Removing them helps restore clarity, allowing you to cherish those memories in their original form.
  • Enhance Aesthetics. Clean and scratch-free photos look more polished and professional. This makes them suitable for framing, sharing, or creating digital albums.
  • Extending Longevity. By digitally restoring photos, you can preserve their quality for future generations.
  • Avoid Costly Rescanning. If photos have already been digitized, removing scratches eliminates the need for time-consuming and potentially expensive rescanning processes.

Part 2. Top 5 AI Photo Scratch Removal Worth to Try!

Before diving into the detailed features and benefits of each tool, it’s helpful to compare them side by side. Below is a comparison table highlighting key aspects like supported formats, ease of use, and pricing. This will give you a quick overview to help you decide which tool suits your photo restoration needs best.

Tool Supported Formats Ease of Use Price
Repairit Photo Repair JPEG, PNG, JPG, CR3, CR2, NEF, NRW, RAF, DNG, ARW, GPR, TIF, TIFF, GIF, HEIC Easy interface for both beginners and professionals Monthly: $20.99
Annually: $27.99
Perpetual: $41.99 (Free trial available)
SoftOrbits Photo Retoucher Common formats like JPEG and PNG Beginner-friendly with automatic defect detection Monthly: $2.99
Annually: $3.99
Lifetime: $5.99
Photoshop Multiple formats including RAW and PSD Advanced skills required for detailed editing Individuals: $22.12/month
Business: $34.62/month/license
$415.48/year/license
PhotoWorks JPEG, PNG, RAW Easy-to-use, designed for quick restoration tasks Standard: $19.25/year
Pro: $39.20/year
Ultimate: $79.80 (Lifetime)
Luminar Neo JPEG, PNG, RAW Flexible and customizable, integrates with Adobe tools 12-Month Subscription: $49/year
Lifetime License: $79.00

Top 1. Repairit Photo Repair [BEST]

Repairit Photo Repair is one of the well known solutions that remove scratches from pictures. This tool ensures flawless restoration with its advanced technology and handles everything from minor scratches to significant enhancements. Please take a look at what Repairit Photo Repair can do:

Key Features

  • AI-Powered Restoration. Automatically detects and removes scratches, enhances colors, and reconstructs damaged areas.
  • Batch Restoration. Repair multiple photos at once, saving time and effort with the in-batch repair feature.
  • Advanced Repair Options. Repairit can remove scratches, enhance colors, and reconstruct missing areas.
  • Thumbnail Extraction. Extract thumbnails from photos with precision and accuracy. This ensures that even damaged images retain their core details.
  • Repair Photos Across Devices. Compatible with a wide range of storage devices, including Mac and Windows computers, USB flash drives, memory sticks, SD cards, digital cameras, and smartphones.
  • Support for Multiple Formats. Repair up to 18 photo formats, including JPEG, PNG, JPG, CR3, CR2, NEF, NRW, RAF, DNG, ARW, GPR, TIF, TIFF, GIF, and HEIC.
  • Pros
    • User-friendly interface suitable for beginners and professionals.
    • Supports advanced repair features like thumbnail extraction and color enhancement.
    • Handles bulk photo repair with ease using the batch restoration feature.
    • Works across multiple storage devices, ensuring your photos are safe and accessible.
    • Supports a wide variety of formats, including RAW files and high-resolution images.
    Cons
    • Limited editing customization for users seeking manual control.
    • Need a subscription for more advanced features.

    Price

    Repairit Photo Repair offers flexible pricing options:

    • Monthly Plan: $20.99 / Month
    • Annual Plan: $27.99 / Year
    • Perpetual Plan: $41.99 / Perpetual
    • A free trial is also available, allowing you to explore its features before committing.

    Step 1. Begin by downloading and installing Repairit on your computer. Once launched, navigate to the "More Types Repair" section and select "AI Photo Enhancer." Click the "+Add" button to upload your old photos directly from your computer.

    add old photo

    Step 2. After successfully uploading your photos, choose "Old Photo Restoration." Once selected, click "Start Enhancing" to initiate the restoration process using Repairit’s AI algorithms.

    choose old photo restoration
    icon note
    Note: If you don’t require colorization, uncheck the "Photo Colorizer" option. Adjust the Output Resolution to sharpen and enhance the clarity of your restored photos. After that, Now wait as Repairit works its magic to restore and enhance your photos with advanced AI technology.

    Step 3. After the restoration process is complete, you can preview the enhanced photos to assess their quality. If the results meet your expectations, simply click "Save" and choose a destination folder on your computer. Once saved, navigate to the specified location to access your beautifully restored photos effortlessly.

    save the restored photo
    Repairit Photo Repair to Remove Sratches

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    Top 2. SoftOrbits Old Photo Restoration

    softorbits old photo restoration

    SoftOrbits Photo Retoucher by SoftOrbits is a tool for enhancing scanned images by removing imperfections, restoring damaged sections, and performing basic photo retouching. Its interface makes it accessible even to beginners. This tool also automatically identifies areas needing improvement. With features like scratch and dust removal, black-and-white photo colorization, and background fixes, Photo Retoucher helps make old photos look flawless and realistic.

    Key Features

    • Automatic Defect Detection. Identifies and corrects scratches, dust particles, and age-related damage.
    • Black-and-White Photo Colorization. Adds realistic colors to black-and-white photos with just a few clicks.
    • Resolution Enhancement. Improves the clarity and sharpness of old images.
    • User-Friendly Interface. Simple tools for quick restoration tasks.
    • Lightweight Software. Takes up minimal space on your device.
    Pros
    • Easy-to-navigate interface suitable for beginners.
    • Lightweight software that doesn’t demand significant storage space.
    • Capable of fixing scratched backgrounds.
    • Improves photo resolution with minimal effort.
    Cons
    • Limited AI tools compared to advanced restoration software.
    • The free version offers restricted functionality.

    Price

    • Monthly: $2.99/month
    • Annually: $3.99/year
    • Lifetime: $5.99

    Top 3. Photoshop Scratch Removal

    photoshop scratch removal

    Photoshop is renowned as one of the most professional tools for photo editing, including photo scratch removal. With its features like the “Photo Restoration” filter, it allows users to remove light scratches from images.

    Key Features

    • AI-Powered Photo Restoration Filter. Removes light scratches quickly and efficiently.
    • Advanced Editing Tools. Offers extensive manual editing options for more complex restorations.
    • Professional-Grade Results. Ensures high-quality, lossless edits with impressive effects.
    • Versatile Image Formats. Supports a wide range of file formats for editing.
    Pros
    • Industry-leading photo editing software with unparalleled features.
    • AI filters simplify scratch removal for light to moderate scratches.
    • Highly customizable for manual touch-ups and detailed edits.
    • Compatible with various file formats, including RAW images.
    Cons
    • Requires advanced skills for handling deep scratches.
    • Subscription-based pricing can be expensive for casual users.
    • The learning curve for beginners is due to its vast array of features.

    Price

    • Individuals: $22.12/month
    • Business: $34.62/month/license and $415.48/year/license

    Top 4. PhotoWorks

    photoworks

    PhotoWorks offers a user-friendly approach to restoring old photos. Its Precision Healing Tool removes scratches, lint, and dust, blending textures, colors, and tones to restore photos. This tool can also erase folds and creases that result from years of photo storage, making it a reliable choice for reviving vintage images.

    Key Features

    • Precision Healing Tool. Effectively removes scratches, dust, lint, and folds from photos.
    • Cloning Tool. Allows detailed removal of unwanted parts of an image.
    • Filter Options. Apply filters to enhance the photo’s appearance post-restoration.
    • RAW File Compatibility. Supports RAW image editing for high-quality restorations.
    • Noise Reduction. Reduces grain and noise for clearer images.
    Pros
    • Intuitive and beginner-friendly interface.
    • Compatible with RAW files for professional-grade edits.
    • Ideal for quick and basic photo adjustments.
    • Effective noise and grain reduction for enhanced image quality.
    Cons
    • Limited restoration capabilities compared to advanced software.
    • The free version has restricted features.

    Price

    • Standard: $19.25/year/license
    • Pro: $39.20/year/license
    • Ultimate: $79.80 (Lifetime License)

    Top 5. Luminar Neo

    luminar neo

    Luminar Neo is a photo restoration software to eliminate splotches, stains, scratches, and dirt from slightly damaged photos. It supports both macOS and Windows platforms and can function as a standalone tool or as a plug-in for Adobe software. With AI-powered tools like EnhanceAI and StructureAI, Luminar Neo makes it easy to restore photos, improve colors, and more.

    Key Features

    • Splotch and Stain Removal. Eliminates blemishes, scratches, and dirt for cleaner photos.
    • AI-Powered Enhancement. Enhance AI improves colors, tones, and overall image detail automatically.
    • Structure AI. Adjusts contrast and emphasizes details without altering human elements.
    • Faded Photo Recovery. Recovers and revitalizes aged or faded images effectively.
    • Adobe Plug-In Compatibility. Works as a plug-in for popular Adobe software for added versatility.
    Pros
    • Customizable workflow for flexible editing.
    • Effectively removes splotches, stains, and scratches.
    • Recover faded photos with ease.
    • Integrates with Adobe software for enhanced functionality.
    Cons
    • Some features need refinement to match top-tier standards.
    • Higher cost compared to competitors.

    Price

    • 12 Months Subscription: $49/year
    • Perpetual License: $89 (One-time fee)
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    Conclusion

    Removing scratches from pictures is no longer a tedious task, thanks to AI technology. Each AI photo scratch removal mentioned here offers unique capabilities to suit various needs. Choose the one that fits your budget and restoration requirements. Happy editing!

    FAQ

    • Can old photos with severe damage be fully restored?
      It depends on the extent of the damage and the quality of the restoration process. While some photos can be improved, others may require expert intervention for complete restoration.
    • Are AI-based restoration methods reliable?
      AI-based methods are highly reliable for common issues like scratches, tears, and discoloration. However, for complex restorations, manual editing may sometimes be necessary.
    • Can I restore photos that have faded due to sunlight exposure?
      Yes, faded photos can often be restored by adjusting brightness, contrast, and color balance.
Louie Morgan
Louie Morgan Feb 11, 25
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Louie Morgan
Written by Louie Morgan
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