---
title: ToolRouter — Tool Detail
description: Detailed documentation for a ToolRouter tool including skills, parameters, and examples.
url: https://toolrouter.com/tools/photo-restore
---
# Photo Restore

Bring old photos back to life. Removes scratches, tears, and stains. Enhances faces and sharpens blurry details. Fixes faded colors and improves contrast. Colorizes black-and-white photos with historically accurate tones. Supports single photos or batch processing up to 10 images at once.

- **Version:** 0.01
- **Categories:** media

## Skills (2)

### Restore Photo (`restore_photo`)

Restore old, damaged, or degraded photographs. Fixes scratches, tears, stains, fading, blur, and enhances facial details.

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| `image_url` | string | No | URL of a single photo to restore |
| `image_urls` | array | No | Array of photo URLs to restore in batch (up to 10). Use this OR image_url, not both. |
| `enhancement_level` | string | No | How aggressively to restore. "light" for minor fixes, "standard" for typical old photos, "heavy" for severely damaged images. Default: standard. (light, standard, heavy) |
| `fix_scratches` | boolean | No | Remove scratches, tears, creases, and physical damage. Default: true. |
| `enhance_faces` | boolean | No | Enhance and sharpen facial details. Default: true. |
| `fix_colors` | boolean | No | Correct faded, yellowed, or discolored areas. Default: true. |
| `resolution` | string | No | Output resolution. Higher resolution costs more. Default: 1K. (1K, 2K, 4K) |

**Returns:** Restored photo(s) with original and restored URLs, dimensions, and restoration details

**Examples:**

*Restore a single old photo:*

```json
{
  "image_url": "https://example.com/old-family-photo.jpg"
}
```

*Heavy restoration on a damaged photo at 2K:*

```json
{
  "image_url": "https://example.com/damaged-photo.jpg",
  "enhancement_level": "heavy",
  "resolution": "2K"
}
```

*Batch restore multiple photos:*

```json
{
  "image_urls": [
    "https://example.com/photo1.jpg",
    "https://example.com/photo2.jpg",
    "https://example.com/photo3.jpg"
  ]
}
```

### Colorize Photo (`colorize_photo`)

Convert black-and-white or sepia photographs to full color. Uses AI to infer historically and contextually accurate colors.

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| `image_url` | string | No | URL of a single B&W photo to colorize |
| `image_urls` | array | No | Array of B&W photo URLs to colorize in batch (up to 10). Use this OR image_url, not both. |
| `style` | string | No | Color style. "natural" for realistic muted tones, "vivid" for richer saturated colors. Default: natural. (natural, vivid) |
| `era_hint` | string | No | Optional hint about the era (e.g. "1940s", "Victorian", "1960s") to guide period-appropriate colors. |
| `resolution` | string | No | Output resolution. Default: 1K. (1K, 2K, 4K) |

**Returns:** Colorized photo(s) with full color applied and output details

**Examples:**

*Colorize a black and white photo:*

```json
{
  "image_url": "https://example.com/bw-photo.jpg"
}
```

*Colorize with era context for accurate colors:*

```json
{
  "image_url": "https://example.com/1950s-family.jpg",
  "era_hint": "1950s",
  "style": "natural"
}
```

## Quick Start

```bash
# Via CLI
TOOLROUTER_API_KEY=tr_live_xxx npx -y toolrouter-mcp call photo-restore restore_photo --image_url https://example.com/old-family-photo.jpg

# Via REST API
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer tr_live_xxx" \
     -d '{"tool":"photo-restore","skill":"restore_photo","input":{"image_url":"https://example.com/old-family-photo.jpg"}}' \
     https://api.toolrouter.com/v1/tools/call
```

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What kinds of damage can it fix?

`restore_photo` handles scratches, tears, stains, fading, blur, and face enhancement in one pass.

### How do I turn black-and-white photos into color?

Use `colorize_photo`; if you know the era, add `era_hint` so the colors better match the time period.

### Can I restore more than one image at once?

Yes. Both skills accept a single `image_url` or up to 10 `image_urls` for batch processing.

### How strong should the restoration be?

Use `enhancement_level` with `light`, `standard`, or `heavy` depending on how damaged the photo is.

---

## Get Started with ToolRouter

**Already connected?** Call any tool with `use_tool({ tool, skill, input })`. Browse tools with `discover` or visit https://toolrouter.com/llms-full.txt

**New to ToolRouter?** Connect with one command (no API key needed — auto-provisions on first use):

```bash
# MCP (Claude Code, Codex CLI)
claude mcp add toolrouter -- npx -y toolrouter-mcp

# MCP (Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, VS Code, Gemini CLI, Claude Desktop)
{"mcpServers":{"toolrouter":{"command":"npx","args":["-y","toolrouter-mcp"]}}}

# Claude Chat / Claude Cowork / Claude Mobile — add as a connector:
# Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector → URL: https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp

# ChatGPT — add as an app:
# Settings → Apps → Advanced settings → enable Developer mode → Create app → MCP Server URL: https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp

# CLI (works instantly, no restart needed)
npx -y toolrouter-mcp tools                    # browse all tools
npx -y toolrouter-mcp search "seo"             # search by keyword
npx -y toolrouter-mcp call seo analyze_page --url https://example.com
```

Free tools work immediately. For paid tools, visit https://toolrouter.com/claim to add credits.

All platforms: https://toolrouter.com/connect | Full catalog: https://toolrouter.com/llms-full.txt | Docs: https://toolrouter.com/docs