Lighten a Dark Photo
Brighten dark photos without washing out the bright parts.
Drop an image here
or choose files from your device
You can also paste an image with Ctrl+V
JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, HEIC, GIF · up to 100 MB
Your images are processed locally in your browser and are not uploaded.
Photos taken indoors, against the light or in the evening often come out too dark. Instead of simply adding brightness, which turns bright areas white, this tool lifts the midtones and shadows along a curve, so faces and details appear while skies and highlights keep their detail.
How to lighten a photo
- Step 1
Add a dark photo.
- Step 2
Adjust exposure, shadows and highlights.
- Step 3
Download the brighter photo.
Why use PhotoTools
Natural result
A tone curve brightens without clipping whites.
Shadow recovery
Open up dark areas separately from the rest.
Colors stay true
Brightness changes without shifting colors.
Supported formats
Input
- JPG
- PNG
- WebP
- AVIF
- HEIC
- GIF
- BMP
- TIFF
- PSD
- RAW
Output
- JPG
- PNG
- WebP
- AVIF
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference to Brightness/Contrast?
Brightness shifts every pixel by the same amount and can wash out highlights. Lighten uses a curve that protects blacks and whites.
Is it free?
Yes. Browser tools on PhotoTools are free, unlimited and work without an account.
Are my images uploaded to a server?
No. This tool runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. Your images never leave your device, and nothing is stored.