ChatGPT Prompts to Enhance Photo Quality (Copy and Paste)

ChatGPT can make a dull, soft or grainy photo look much better, but it's worth knowing how it does it. It doesn't run a filter over your pixels the way a photo app does. It creates a new version of the image based on your photo and your instructions. That's why the wording of your prompt matters so much, and why 'keep everything else the same' is the most important line in every prompt below.

Upload your photo by tapping the + in the message box and choosing Add photos & files, then paste a prompt. Swap anything in [brackets] for your own details. Use photos of yourself, or of people who've said yes.

Prompts to sharpen and clean up a photo

Start with the gentlest fix. One clear request beats a long list.

Gentle sharpen

Copy this prompt

Make this photo sharper and clearer while keeping it natural. Don't change the person's face, expression, hair or clothes, and keep the background unchanged.

Fix soft focus

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This photo is slightly out of focus. Restore crisp detail in [the subject's face / the product] without adding any new details or changing what's in the picture.

Reduce grain and noise

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Remove the grain and noise from this low-light photo while keeping skin texture, fabric and edges realistic. Keep colours and composition the same.

Clean up a phone photo

Copy this prompt

Improve this phone photo: reduce blur, even out the exposure and clean up noise. Keep it looking like a real photo, not an illustration.

Old screenshot quality

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This image looks pixelated and compressed. Recreate it at higher quality with clean edges, keeping the layout, colours and every element in the same place.

Prompts to fix light and colour

Light problems are the most common reason a photo looks low quality.

Brighten a dark photo

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Brighten this underexposed photo so it looks like it was taken in good daylight. Keep shadows soft and natural, and don't change the people or objects.

Tame harsh light

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Soften the harsh shadows and bright highlights in this photo so the light looks even and flattering. Keep faces and details unchanged.

Correct the colour cast

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This photo has a [yellow / blue / green] colour cast. Correct it to natural, neutral colours while keeping everything else the same.

Warm golden tone

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Give this photo a warm, golden-hour tone, as if taken in late afternoon sun. Keep the subject and background unchanged.

Rescue a backlit shot

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The subject is too dark against a bright background. Lift the subject's brightness so their face is clearly visible, without blowing out the sky.

Prompts for portraits and profile pictures

Keep these subtle. Over-smoothed skin is the fastest way to make a photo look fake.

Natural portrait polish

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Enhance this portrait so it looks professionally lit and sharp. Keep the face shape, features, skin texture and expression exactly the same. No beauty filter.

Profile picture clean-up

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Turn this into a crisp, well-lit square profile photo. Keep my face unchanged, tidy the background into a soft blur and keep the colours natural.

Fix red eye and reflections

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Remove red eye and the glare on the glasses in this photo. Don't change anything else about the face or the image.

Even out skin, lightly

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Lightly reduce temporary blemishes and redness while keeping natural skin texture, freckles and every feature unchanged.

Prompts for product and business photos

Small businesses get the most from these: cleaner photos without a reshoot.

Sharper product shot

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Make this product photo sharper and brighter with clean, even studio-style light. Keep the product's shape, colours, logo and label exactly the same.

Clean background

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Replace the cluttered background with a plain [white / light grey] background. Keep the product, its shadow direction and its size unchanged.

Transparent background

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Remove the background from this product photo and make it transparent. Keep the edges of the product clean and the product unchanged.

Menu photo glow-up

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Make this food photo look fresh and appetising with brighter, natural light and richer colour. Don't add or remove any food from the plate.

Prompts for old and damaged photos

Restoration works best when you list exactly what's wrong.

Repair scratches and dust

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Repair the scratches, dust spots and small tears in this old photo. Keep the people's faces, clothing and the original composition the same.

Faded print

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This old print has faded. Restore contrast and detail so it looks like a well-kept original, keeping its original black and white tones.

Gently colourise

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Colourise this black and white photo with realistic, period-appropriate colours. Keep every face, feature and detail unchanged.

Prompts to change size and shape

Useful when a photo needs to fit a post, a banner or a print.

Fit a new aspect ratio

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Recreate this photo in a [square / vertical / wide] aspect ratio, extending the background naturally on the sides. Don't change the subject.

Straighten a wonky shot

Copy this prompt

Straighten this photo so the horizon is level and the building edges are vertical. Keep everything in the picture.

How to get better results when enhancing photos

• Ask for one fix at a time, then build on the result in the same chat.
• Always add 'keep everything else the same' and name what must not change: face, logo, text, layout.
• If only part needs fixing, use the selection tool on that area. OpenAI warns that highlights aren't always precise and edits may spread beyond your selection, so check the edges.
• Name the area in words too; OpenAI says to include the area in your prompt if you want the edit applied there.
• Choose the shape you need with the aspect ratio picker, or put the ratio in your prompt.
• Be patient. OpenAI says image generation can take a few minutes, and you can keep chatting while it works.

A word on honesty: an enhanced photo is a new image, so don't use it where an untouched original is needed, such as an ID photo or evidence. For everything else, it's a quick way to rescue a good moment caught in bad light.

If you'd rather use a dedicated editor for small fixes, these object remover tools are handy, and where to create AI images for free covers other options.

My verdict

ChatGPT is excellent for rescuing dark, soft or grainy photos, as long as you treat every result as a redraw. Ask for one improvement, protect the face and details in writing, and compare the result side by side with your original before you post it.

Frequently asked questions

Can ChatGPT enhance photo quality?

Yes. Upload the photo and describe the fix, such as sharper focus or better light. It creates an improved version rather than editing pixels.

What's the best ChatGPT prompt to make a photo HD?

Ask it to make the photo sharper and clearer while keeping it natural, and list what must not change, such as the face and background.

Will ChatGPT change my face when enhancing a photo?

It can. Always say keep the face and expression exactly the same, and check the result carefully.

Can I enhance only part of a photo in ChatGPT?

Yes, with the selection tool. OpenAI notes edits may spread beyond the selected area, so check the edges.

Is ChatGPT photo enhancing available on the app?

Yes. OpenAI says ChatGPT Images works on web, iOS and Android, on all tiers.