Lighten Image
Rescue dark, underexposed photos
Runs in your browser. Files never leave your device.
How to use Lighten Image
- Choose or drop your images. You can add several at once.
- Adjust the settings and check the preview.
- Download the result, or every file at once as a ZIP.
About this tool
Rescue photos that came out too dark. The tool lifts shadows and midtones in linear light, the way light really adds up, while a soft shoulder keeps bright areas such as skies and windows from turning white.
The Shadow detail slider works like a fill light: it looks at the brightness of each area and lifts dark regions more than bright ones, so faces in the shade appear without the rest of the picture looking washed out.
- Works on your device. Nothing is uploaded.
- Free, with no sign-up and no watermark.
- No limits on file count or size beyond what your device can handle.
Questions and answers
Will lightening make my photo look washed out?
Not with sensible settings. Blacks stay black and highlights roll off smoothly, so contrast in the bright parts is kept. If the picture looks flat, lower Lighten and raise Shadow detail instead.
Why does my lightened photo look noisy?
Very dark photos hide sensor noise in the shadows. Lifting them makes that noise visible. Use moderate settings for night shots.
How is this different from the brightness tool?
Brightness moves all midtones evenly. Lighten Image is built for underexposed photos: it lifts dark areas the most and protects the highlights.
Is Lighten Image free?
Yes. Every tool on ImgImage is free to use, with no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many files you process.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. Your files are processed by your own browser and never leave your device. Nothing you open here is sent to a server.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes. It works in any modern browser on phones, tablets and computers. Large files are processed faster on a computer.