Got an old scanned 600px photo from 2010? Or an 800px web image to print A3 poster? In 2026 with Real-ESRGAN, AI enlarges 4× preserving natural detail.
Real-ESRGAN AI
Real Enhanced Super-Resolution GAN, 2021. Trained on millions of images to recreate detail when upscaling. Unlike Lanczos that just smooths pixels, Real-ESRGAN generates new detail from context.
AI vs Lanczos comparison
| Criteria | Lanczos Fast | Real-ESRGAN AI |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Instant | 10-30s/img |
| Texture | Lost | Recreated |
| Hair/fur | Blurry | Sharp |
| Best for | Quick preview | Print, archive |
5 steps
- Open TaoClip AI Upscaler.
- Drag JPG/PNG/WEBP (up to 20 MB).
- Pick 2×/3×/4×.
- Pick Fast or AI mode.
- Apply → download PNG.
6 use cases
Restore old scanned photos, print A3 from web, HD slideshow, crop zoom detail, e-commerce product, anime/comic line art.
8 pro tips
- Source quality matters.
- Avoid compressed JPG < 70%.
- Pick right scale (4× = 16× pixels).
- AI mode for portraits.
- Fast mode for text/UI.
- Denoise before upscaling.
- Output PNG always.
- Test before batch.