Bring back the faces you miss
Upload a scan or a phone photo of an old print. We repair scratches, tears, stains and fading, add natural colour, and compare the faces before and after so people still look like themselves.
Restore my photos- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Faces checked before and after
- Black and white plus colour
- Ready in minutes
Restored by As They Were
Real results from our restoration process on old public-domain archive photos. Slide to compare, and tap Colour or Black and white to switch versions. Nothing was retouched by hand.
Example photos are public-domain archive images (Wikimedia Commons).
How it works
Add your photos
A scan or a clear phone photo of the print, plus your email. We check each photo in seconds, so you never pay for one we can't restore.
Pay once
You see your exact total before you pay. One-time payment, no subscription, no account.
Get them restored in minutes
Full-size files ready to print, black-and-white photos in black and white AND colour. Free redos until it's right.
Still them
Faces checked
Some AI apps "fix" a face by giving it someone else's features. We compare every face we can measure before and after, and throw away any result where someone stops looking like themselves.
Black and white and colour
Black-and-white photos come back in two versions: the restored original and a natural colour version. Keep both.
Minutes
Your restored photos are usually ready a few minutes after you pay. Studios take days or weeks.
Prices
You see your exact total before you pay. 30-day money-back guarantee on every order.
Savings compared with $12 a photo, for a full bundle.
- Full-resolution restored photos, ready to print
- Black-and-white photos come back in black and white and in colour
- A before-and-after picture of each photo to share
- Free redos until it's right: up to 2 per photo, from your order page
- Not happy? Every cent back within 30 days, to your card, not store credit
One-time payment. No account, no subscription.
Questions
What kinds of damage can you fix?
Scratches, cracks, creases and fold lines, tears, dust, spots, stains, flaking and faded or yellowed prints. Missing pieces, like a torn-off corner, are filled in to match. A face that is mostly missing can't be brought back exactly. If you're not happy with the result, restore it again free or get your money back.
Will they still look like themselves?
That's the point of As They Were. Our software compares every face it can measure before and after restoring. If anyone stops looking like themselves, that result is thrown away and the photo is restored again more gently. Faces that are very small or turned away can't be measured, so for those, look closely at the result: if someone doesn't look like themselves, restore it again free from your order page.
Can I see it before I pay?
We restore your photo after you pay, but you don't take a risk: the examples on this page are real results, we check your photo before you pay, you get free redos until it's right, and if you're not happy you get every cent back within 30 days.
How do I photograph an old print with my phone?
Lay the print flat near a window, turn the flash off, hold the phone straight above it and fill the screen with the photo. Avoid glare and shadows. A scan works best, but a clear phone photo is fine.
Are the colours accurate?
The colours are a realistic guess: nobody can know the real colour of a dress from 1925. That's why you always also get the restored black-and-white version of a black-and-white photo.
How long does it take?
The check before you pay takes seconds. After you pay, one photo is usually restored in 2 to 5 minutes, and a big bundle takes longer. We email you when they're ready. Studios take days or weeks.
What do I get?
For each photo: the restored photo in full resolution (up to 4,096 pixels on the long side), a colour version and a black-and-white version of black-and-white photos, and a before-and-after picture to share. Bundles also come as one zip file. Download them from your order page or the link we email you, for 30 days.
Can I print it?
Yes. The files are big enough for a sharp 8x10 and a good 11x14 at a photo lab or drugstore. Very small originals give smaller files.
Do real artists restore my photos?
No. As They Were uses AI, which is why it takes minutes instead of days and costs a fraction of a studio. Every face we can measure is checked, and you get free redos and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Is my photo private?
Yes. Your photos are stored privately and only you get the links. We delete the photo you upload within 3 days, unpaid orders after 7 days and your restored photos 30 days after delivery. We never use your photos to train AI or as examples.
What if I'm not happy?
Tap "Restore it again" under any photo on your order page for a free redo (up to 2 per photo). Still not happy? Email support@astheywere.com within 30 days with your order number and we refund every cent to your card.
That photo deserves to be seen again
Add it now. We check it in seconds and show your exact total before you pay.
Restore my photosPhotos are restored by AI. Colours added to black-and-white photos are a realistic guess, not a record of the real colours. Results depend on the condition of the original.