Disappointing Results: My Experience Upscaling Images with Super Resolution in Photos

• To access the Super Resolution feature in the Photos app on Windows 11, open an image, select “Edit,” then choose “Super Resolution,” and adjust the enhancement slider to resize and improve the image quality.
• This capability can be utilized on Copilot+ PCs that are part of the Windows Insider Program and on the Photos app version 2024.11100.16009.0 or above.

This guide will provide an overview of using the newly introduced Super Resolution feature in the Photos app on Windows 11, specifically tailored for Copilot+ PCs. The latest update includes this AI-driven tool, which significantly improves image quality and interestingly makes images up to 8 times larger than their original dimensions. It’s designed to elevate low-resolution photos, rejuvenate old images, or enhance visual content for printing or presentations.

The Super Resolution feature relies on an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) for its AI calculations and operates without cloud processing, which makes it exclusive to Copilot+ PCs. As of now, this feature is in preview and can be accessed across all channels of the Windows Insider Preview program.

In this article, I’ll guide you through the steps required to leverage Super Resolution in the Photos application on Windows 11 for Copilot+ PCs.

How to Utilize Super Resolution in the Photos App

Follow these instructions to employ the Super Resolution feature for enhancing images within Photos:

1. Launch the Photos app on your Windows 11 device.

2. Right-click on the desired image and select the Edit option.

3. From the command bar, click on the Super Resolution feature.

4. Adjust the enhancement using the slider on the right to determine how much you’d like to upscale the image.

   

   Note: The AI enhancement process may take some time.

5. Review the upscaled image alongside the original version.

6. Hit the Apply button.

   

7. Select the Save options button.

8. Opt for Save as copy.

9. Save your enhanced image version.

Upon completing these steps, you’ll have a resized and improved version of your chosen image.

When testing this feature on an older photograph, I found that even though the resolution did increase, the restoration and enhancement of visual elements left much to be desired. The adjustments became evident primarily when zooming in to the higher resolution, where the AI-generated data appeared inaccurate and unappealing.

In another instance, I cropped a new photo of a boat and, after applying Super Resolution, I found myself preferring the original unprocessed image at higher zoom levels.

Below is the original image cropped at 300% zoom for natural enlargement:

In contrast, here’s the image that underwent Super Resolution at 50% zoom to fit the display:

The processed image appears less natural compared to the original. While there might be scenarios where this feature proves beneficial, I remain skeptical about its effectiveness for serious upscaling or restoration tasks.

Microsoft has claimed that “Super Resolution” can transform lower-resolution and aged photos into high-quality images without the concern of blurriness or pixelation; however, the real experience has been somewhat limited. Minor enhancements may occur, but don’t rely on this tool for significant restoration of old or poor-quality images as the results might fall short of expectations.

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that a comparable feature called “Zoom Enhance” exists on Android, which similarly utilizes AI to fill in missing data when enlarging images, yielding results akin to those of Super Resolution in the Photos app.

Despite being exclusive to Copilot+ PCs, the Super Resolution feature has also been available on a virtual machine utilizing the latest preview version of Windows 11 24H2 found in the Release Preview Channel.

My device runs Photos app version 2024.11100.16009.0. If you do not see this feature, check for updates in the Microsoft Store, as it may still be rolling out to users. I’m also using Windows 11 24H2 (build 26100.2152) on my device.

What are your thoughts on this feature in the Photos app? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments below.

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