Restore Polaroid photos with AI in seconds.

First, you need a digital version of your Polaroid. You have several options and none of them require special equipment. The easiest way is to photograph the Polaroid with your smartphone. Hold the phone directly above the print in bright, even lighting (near a window works great) and make sure there are no shadows or glare on the glossy surface. If you have a flatbed scanner at home, place the Polaroid face-down and scan at 600 to 1200 DPI for the best detail. You can also take the photo to a local copy shop and ask them to scan it. Most print shops can do this for a dollar or two. Whichever method you choose, include the white border if it has handwritten names or dates.

Once you have a digital file, go to restorephotosapp.com, click "Restore a photo", and upload your image. That is it. The AI analyzes the specific fading pattern of your Polaroid and restores it automatically in under 30 seconds. Unlike generic photo editors, our AI understands Polaroid-specific degradation: it corrects the yellow-green color cast, restores lost contrast, and fixes edge fading without any manual adjustments from you.

Polaroid prints fade through a different mechanism than conventional photos. In a standard print, dye molecules are fixed in a gelatin layer. In a Polaroid, dyes migrated during the self-development process, making them inherently less stable. The cyan and magenta dyes degrade faster than yellow, producing the characteristic yellow-green cast. On top of that, the clear plastic laminate yellows independently, adding an amber tint. Our AI separates these two effects and corrects each independently. This dual correction is why our Polaroid restorations look more natural than simple color-balance adjustments you could do in Photoshop.

Different Polaroid film types fade differently, and our AI adapts to each. SX-70 film produces softer, warmer tones and fades with a matte quality. 600 film has higher contrast and more vivid colors. Spectra/Image film uses a wider rectangular format. Older peel-apart pack films (Type 100 series) have their own distinct fading patterns. You do not need to identify your film type, the AI detects it automatically.

Common Polaroid damage beyond fading includes scratches on the laminate surface, chemical bleed at the edges (dark spots where reagent paste leaked), and white spots from moisture damage. Our AI handles all of these. For Polaroids that are stuck to album pages, scan or photograph them in place rather than risking tearing the print. The AI can work with imperfect images.

After restoration, you can download the image in full resolution. Many users reprint at the original Polaroid dimensions (3.1 x 3.1 inch image with white border). The restored version with vivid colors in the original format makes a great gift. You can also share digitally or add the restored photos to a family photo book.

Do not wait to restore your Polaroids. Unlike negatives, which can last centuries, Polaroid fading is progressive and accelerates over time. A Polaroid that looks slightly faded today may be severely faded in another decade. The more color information that remains, the better the AI restoration. Think of it as a preservation window that is slowly closing.