The short answer
Why use Contrast?
Photos shot through glass, in fog, or on an old phone often look gray and flat. A single contrast slider with a live preview fixes that faster than adjusting curves by hand.
Each red, green, and blue value is moved away from or toward the middle of the scale. 50 is the original. At 100 the distance from middle gray is multiplied by 1.75, and at 0 by 0.25. Middle gray itself never moves, so the overall brightness of an average photo stays about the same.
Dark and bright areas reach the ends of the scale quickly when you raise contrast, and detail in deep shadows and bright skies merges into flat black or white. Values between 55 and 70 are usually enough for a hazy shot. Check faces too, since skin tones can get blotchy at high settings.
If the photo is simply too dark or too light, Brightness or Exposure fix that without changing the spread of tones. Gamma reshapes the midtones while holding pure black and white in place. Threshold is the extreme case of contrast, turning every pixel into pure black or pure white, which suits scans of signatures.
Where Contrast fits
Hazy landscapes
Bring back depth to a mountain view shot through haze.
Scanned photos
Restore punch to a faded print scanned from an old album.
Whiteboard shots
Make marker writing stand out from a gray board.
Start to finish
How to use Contrast
- 01Tap Choose image and pick the hazy or flat photo.
- 02Move Amount above 50 for more contrast or below 50 for a soft, faded look.
- 03Tap Apply changes, check the shadows and the sky for lost detail, then tap Download result.
What to expect from Contrast
| Check | What it means here |
|---|---|
| Supported input | JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, SVG and browser-supported AVIF images |
| Main controls | Amount, color, tolerance, or channel, depending on the tool |
| Output | A PNG image with the adjustment applied |
| Working limit | 50 MB and 50 megapixels per image |
Contrast tips
- Values between 55 and 70 usually clear haze without harsh shadows.
- Raising contrast also makes colors look a little stronger.
- Below 30 the photo turns grayish, a quick faded film look.
- Watch skin tones; they get blotchy at high settings.
Contrast FAQ
Something missing? Ask us.
What does 0 do?
Will it change the colors?
Does Contrast upload my file?
Is Contrast free to use?
Why did Contrast fail or look wrong?
Related tools
More in Color & Adjustments.