MyHeritage Photo Enhancer Alternatives for Old Family Photos
Compare alternatives to MyHeritage photo enhancer and colorization: standalone restoration apps, editors and desktop tools for your old family photos.
By Ayoub Farid · · 3 min read
MyHeritage helped make AI photo enhancement and colorization popular among family historians. If you already use it to build your family tree, its photo tools are convenient. But many people just want to restore and colorize photos, without a genealogy subscription, or want to compare results before committing.
Here is how to think about the alternatives.
When MyHeritage makes sense
- You're actively building a family tree and want photos attached to people in it.
- You use its record search, DNA matching or other genealogy features.
- You like having everything in one account.
When an alternative may suit you better
- You only want to restore and colorize photos, not research records.
- You want an app focused on physical damage repair like scratches, tears, creases and water stains.
- You prefer restoring directly on your iPhone or iPad, from your camera roll.
- You want to compare results before choosing.
Alternatives at a glance
| Option | Restoration | Colorize | Genealogy tools | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated restoration app (e.g. Refixo) | Yes, one tap | Yes | No | Fixing and colorizing family photos quickly |
| Face enhancers (e.g. Remini) | Mainly blur | Some | No | Blurry portraits |
| General editors (Picsart, Fotor) | Varies | Varies | No | Editing plus design |
| Desktop (Photoshop, Topaz) | Excellent with skill | With plugins | No | Professionals |
| Other genealogy sites | Varies | Varies | Yes | Tree-builders |
A practical workflow for family historians
Many genealogists use a combination: a genealogy platform for research, and a separate restoration app for the photos themselves.
- Scan prints at a good resolution (see best DPI for scanning photos).
- Restore them in an app like Refixo: damage removal, face enhancement, color correction, optional colorization.
- Label files with names, places and approximate dates (our guide to labeling old photos has a naming system).
- Upload the restored versions, and the untouched originals, to your family tree.
Keeping both versions is important for genealogy: the original is the historical record, the restored version is for viewing and sharing.
How to compare results fairly
Use the same scan in each tool and zoom in on:
- Eyes and mouths: do they match the original expression?
- Clothing details: buttons, lace, uniforms and traditional garments.
- Backgrounds: walls, trees and buildings should keep their texture.
- Colors (if colorizing): natural skin tones, no color spilling outside objects.
Read more about the limits in are colorized photos accurate?
Notes on historical accuracy
For genealogy, accuracy matters more than prettiness. AI can sharpen a face convincingly but still change small details. When you share restored photos in a family tree, mention that they were restored or colorized with AI, and keep the original next to it. Our article on using old photos for family tree research covers this.
Frequently asked questions
Can I restore photos without a MyHeritage subscription?
Yes. Standalone restoration apps work on any photo in your library. Refixo is free to download with a 3-day free trial.
Can I upload restored photos to my family tree?
Yes. Save the restored image to your device, then upload it to whichever genealogy service you use. Keep the original scan too.
Which gives better colorization?
It depends on the photo. Test the same scan in each tool and compare skin tones, clothing and backgrounds.
Is it okay to label AI-restored photos as originals?
It's best not to. Note that the image was restored or colorized, and keep the untouched original alongside it.
Restore it in seconds
Bring your old photos back to life
Refixo's AI removes scratches, tears and stains, sharpens faces and colorizes black & white photos in seconds. Free to download on iPhone and iPad, with a 3-day free trial.
Download on theApp Store