# Colorize Photo with AI

> Kenerate colorizes black and white photos with AI: upload the photo and ask for natural colours — the model adds realistic skin tones, clothing and scenery colours and can repair scratches, creases and fading in the same step, keeping every face the same. Seedream 5.0 Pro (2K output, up to 10 reference images) gave the most natural results in our tests on four old photos. A free account gets 25 free credits.

URL: https://kenerateai.com/colorize-photo
Publisher: Kenerate AI (https://kenerateai.com)
Last updated: 27 September 2026

## Key facts
- Photos tested: 4
- Best model: Seedream 5.0 Pro · 2K
- Also repairs: Scratches, creases, fading
- Free start: 25 free credits

## Steps
1. Scan the photo — Flat, even light, no glare.
2. Upload to Seedream 5.0 Pro — In /app/image. Sign in free for 25 credits.
3. Ask for natural colour and repairs — Name any colours you remember.
4. Download and upscale — No watermark; upscale for printing.

## In depth

### How AI colorization works
Image models have learned what colours objects usually have — skin, sky, grass, fabrics. When you ask for colour, the model repaints the grayscale image with plausible tones while keeping the shapes, which is why it's important to ask it to keep faces the same.

### Preserving the original
Always keep the original scan. Treat the colour version as an interpretation, especially for family history.

## FAQ
Q: How do I colorize a black and white photo?
A: Upload it, ask for natural colours and to keep every face the same. Name any colours you know — a blue dress, a red car — for more accurate results.

Q: Is it free?
A: A new account gets 25 free credits on sign-up, and Flux 2 Dev is on the free plan. Seedream 5.0 Pro, which gave the most natural results, needs a credit pack.

Q: Are the colours accurate?
A: They're a realistic guess based on the scene. If you know the real colours, put them in the prompt.

Q: Can it fix scratches too?
A: Yes — ask for colour and repairs in one prompt, as in the examples.

Q: How do I restore an old photo fully?
A: See our guide to restoring old photos for scanning, repair and printing tips.

## Related pages
- How to restore old photos: https://kenerateai.com/how-to-restore-old-photos
- AI photo restoration: https://kenerateai.com/photo-restoration
- Upscale image: https://kenerateai.com/upscale-image
- AI image editor: https://kenerateai.com/ai-image-editor

## Sources