Image tool · Free
Black & White to Colour
AI colorization for black-and-white photos, run on your device. Colours are the model's estimate, not a historical record.
- Runs in your browser — files are not uploaded
- Input: jpg, jpeg, png, webp → jpg, png
- Up to 25 MB per file
How to use Black & White to Colour
- 1
Add a black-and-white (or faded) JPG, PNG or WEBP photo.
- 2
Pick a colour intensity.
- 3
Click Colorize. The first run downloads the ~32 MB model, which your browser then caches.
- 4
Compare before and after and download the result.
About this tool
This tool adds colour to black-and-white or sepia photos using the open “Colorful Image Colorization” model by Richard Zhang, Phillip Isola and Alexei A. Efros. The model predicts likely colours for the scene from the brightness information alone, and the tool combines those colours with your photo's original detail at full resolution. It is AI colorization: the colours are plausible guesses learned from millions of photos, not a reconstruction of the real colours, so clothing, vehicles, signs and skin tones may differ from reality.
Good to know
- AI colorization produces estimates; colours can be muted, patchy or wrong.
- The model works at 256×256 internally; colours are upscaled and combined with your full-resolution detail.
- First use downloads about 32 MB.
Frequently asked questions
Are the colours historically accurate?
No. The model estimates plausible colours from patterns it has learned. It cannot know the true colour of a specific dress, car or building, so treat results as an artistic interpretation.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. The model runs in your browser; the photo stays on your device.
Can I colorize a colour photo?
Yes, but the existing colours are discarded and re-estimated from the brightness only.
Which model is used?
The ECCV 2016 “Colorful Image Colorization” model (BSD 2-Clause licence), converted to ONNX with 8-bit weight storage to reduce download size.
Is Black & White to Colour private?
Yes. This tool processes files entirely in your browser, so your files are not uploaded to our servers.
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