Upscayl: AI Image Upscaler You Install in 3 Minutes

// Before you start

What you need

Windows 10+, macOS 12+, or a modern Linux distro
A dedicated GPU (NVIDIA, AMD, or Apple Silicon) — integrated Intel graphics may not work
About 200 MB of free disk space
A low-resolution image you want to enlarge

Step 1 of 5

Download the installer for your operating system

2 min

Go to the official Upscayl website or the GitHub releases page and grab the right file for your system. You do not need to touch any code. Windows users want the .exe file, Mac users want the .dmg file, and Linux users want the .AppImage (or .deb/.rpm if you prefer).

Terminal · mac

$ https://upscayl.org (click Download, pick your OS)

What you should see

A single installer file lands in your Downloads folder.

This might happen

You accidentally download the source code ZIP instead of the installer.

On the GitHub releases page, scroll past the 'Assets' heading and pick the file that ends in .exe, .dmg, or .AppImage — not the 'Source code' zip.

Step 2 of 5

Install or launch Upscayl

2 min

Each platform works slightly differently. On Windows, double-click the .exe and follow the installer wizard. If a SmartScreen warning appears, click 'More Info' then 'Run Anyway'. On Mac, double-click the .dmg, drag the Upscayl icon into Applications, then right-click the app in Applications and choose Open (you must right-click the first time to bypass Gatekeeper). On Linux, right-click the .AppImage, go to Properties → Permissions, tick 'Allow executing file as program', then double-click it. Mac users with Homebrew can instead run the command below.

Terminal · mac

$ brew install --cask upscayl

What you should see

The Upscayl window opens showing a drag-and-drop area and a sidebar with model options.

This might happen

Mac says the app is from an unidentified developer and won't open.

Always use right-click → Open the very first time. After that, double-clicking works normally.

Step 3 of 5

Load the image you want to upscale

1 min

Either drag your image file straight onto the Upscayl window, or click the 'Select Image' button and browse to your file. Upscayl works best on images that are pixelated or low-resolution. It cannot fix blurry or out-of-focus photos — that is a hard limit of the technology.

Terminal · mac

$ Drag your image file onto the Upscayl window, or click 'Select Image'.

What you should see

A preview of your original image appears on the left side of the screen.

This might happen

The image loads but looks identical to the original in the preview.

The preview shows the original until you press Upscayl. The enhanced version appears after processing finishes.

Step 4 of 5

Choose a model and scale, then run Upscayl

1 min setup, 1–5 min processing

In the left sidebar, pick an AI model. 'General Photo (Real-ESRGAN)' is a safe default for most photos. 'Remacri' and 'Ultrasharp' are popular for artwork and illustrations. Choose a scale factor — 4x is the standard starting point. Then click the big 'Upscayl' button. Processing time depends on your GPU and image size; a small photo on a modern GPU takes under a minute.

Terminal · mac

$ Select model → Set scale to 4x → Click 'Upscayl'

What you should see

A progress bar runs across the bottom. When it finishes, the right panel shows the upscaled image and a 'Image Upscayled!' message.

This might happen

The progress bar freezes or the app crashes immediately after clicking Upscayl.

Your GPU likely does not support Vulkan. Check the Upscayl compatibility list at https://github.com/upscayl/upscayl — integrated Intel graphics are the most common culprit.

Step 5 of 5

Find your upscaled image

1 min

By default, Upscayl saves the output file in the same folder as your original image, with a suffix like '-upscayl-4x-realesrgan' added to the filename. You can change the output folder before processing by clicking 'Select Output Folder' in the sidebar. The file is saved as a PNG by default.

Terminal · mac

$ Open the folder where your original image lives — the upscaled file is already there.

What you should see

A new PNG file, noticeably larger in pixel dimensions, sitting next to your original.

// Status

cooked. baked. worked.

A desktop app that can enlarge any low-resolution image by 2x, 4x, or more using AI, saving the result as a high-resolution PNG with no subscription or internet connection required.

// the honest bit

The honest part

Upscayl requires a Vulkan-compatible dedicated GPU — most integrated Intel graphics will not work and there is no CPU fallback. It enlarges and sharpens pixelated images well, but it cannot fix motion blur, out-of-focus shots, or heavy JPEG compression artifacts. Results vary by image type; the AI is guessing at missing detail, so some outputs look slightly over-sharpened or artificial.