Skip to main content

waifu2x

Upscales artwork and photographs without the usual mush, using a network trained specifically on line work.

Opens in a new tab. We do not control this site and it may have changed since we catalogued it.

How to get the most from it

waifu2x sits in Photo Toys under Make, filed as a minute.

  • Give it one round. There is nothing to finish and nothing lost by leaving.
  • Use a laptop or desktop computer — we file it as desktop only.
  • It works with the sound off, so it is fine on a train or in a quiet office.
  • No account needed — you can start without signing up.
  • Go in expecting something useful, clever and brainy.

About this category: Browser photo editors, background removers, filters and mosaic makers. Free tools that quietly replaced software people used to pay for.

Good for

  • A one-round break between tasks
  • Getting something practical done
  • Being impressed by a clever idea
  • Giving your brain a workout
  • A quiet break at your desk
  • Trying it with zero commitment

waifu2x: quick answers

Is waifu2x free?

Yes. waifu2x is free to use and needs no account.

Do I need an account to use waifu2x?

No. You can use waifu2x without signing up for anything.

Does waifu2x work on a phone?

Not well. We file waifu2x as desktop only, so open it on a laptop or desktop computer.

Is waifu2x safe for work?

Yes, we file it as safe for work. It also works muted.

How long does waifu2x take?

We file it as "A minute": One quick round, then you can leave.

More in Photo Toys

All 16 in Photo Toys
  • Eighty live webcam effects, most of them terrible, all of them fun for exactly the ninety seconds required.

    • <1 min
    • Desktop
  • Photo editor and collage maker aimed squarely at people who want a decent result without learning anything first.

  • Paint over the tourist, the bin or the power line and it fills in whatever should have been behind them.

  • Ugly, ancient, and still better than everything else at cutting, resizing, reversing and optimising a GIF.

Same mood: useful

All useful sites
  • Wildfire incidents across the western United States, mapped and annotated in near real time by volunteers who sit listening to fire radio.

  • Climate averages for any city as gorgeous year-round charts: sunshine hours, muggy days, wind, and precisely when the good weather ends.

  • Forecasts built on a network of tens of thousands of amateur weather stations, so the reading is often from somebody on your actual street.

  • The planet chopped into three-metre squares, each given a three-word name, which is either brilliant or a licensing trap depending who you ask.

Keep exploring

Have a site of your own? Suggest it for Detour or browse the AltFTool backlinks hub.