How to increase the resolution of an image in Photoshop

You designed something you love, printed it, and the result came out blurry and pixelated. The image looked fine on screen, but the print told a different story. Low image resolution is the most common reason prints disappoint, and Adobe Photoshop gives you several ways to increase resolution without compromising quality before you send anything to a printer.

Here's a quick rundown of what you'll do.

1. Open your image in Photoshop.
2. Access the Image Size menu.
3. Adjust the resolution settings.
4. Use Generative Upscale or Super Resolution if you need a bigger boost.
5. Sharpen the image to restore detail.

The method you choose depends on how much you need to upscale. Changing the PPI in Image Size works for small adjustments. Generative Upscale and Super Resolution use AI and work better when you need to significantly increase the image size.

Open your image in Photoshop

Launch Adobe Photoshop on your computer. Go to File > Open in the top menu bar and select the image file you want to enhance.

Photoshop supports common raster image formats like JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and PSD. If you're working with a photo you plan to print, start from a TIFF or PSD file. Both preserve more detail than JPEG.

Select image size

Go to Image in the top menu bar, then select Image Size from the dropdown.

A dialog box will open showing your image's current dimensions and resolution, so you can start resizing images without losing quality. You can also open it with the keyboard shortcut Alt + Ctrl + I on Windows or Option + Command + I on Mac.

Adjust the image resolution settings

In the Image Size dialog box, find the Resolution field and enter your target value.

Here are a few benchmarks to keep in mind.

• 72 PPI is standard for web images and screen display.
• 150 PPI works for basic home printing.
• 300 PPI is the standard for high quality print results.

Before you change the number, make sure the Resample checkbox is ticked. Without it, Photoshop won't add new pixels. It keeps the same pixel count and just recalculates your print size, so the image gets smaller instead of gaining new detail.

Convert a layer into Smart Object

For extra flexibility, convert your layer to a Smart Object before you resize. That way you can adjust or undo the resize later without starting over.

Choose a resampling method

Choose a resampling method from the dropdown beneath the checkbox. Preserve Details 2.0 tends to produce the sharpest results for photos, since it uses an AI-assisted algorithm to hold onto edges and fine texture.

You can adjust its Reduce Noise slider if the enlarged version looks grainy. If you're shrinking an image instead of enlarging it, switch to Bicubic Sharper. Bicubic Smoother is a softer alternative when Preserve Details 2.0 looks too aggressive. Click OK to apply.

Viewing distance changes how much resolution actually matters, too. Brett Henrichsen, a print industry veteran with two decades in the field, notes that a print viewed up close benefits from around 200 to 300 DPI, while one viewed from a few feet away can look just as sharp at 100 to 150 PPI (Poster Print Shop).

Use generative upscale to improve image quality

Generative Upscale is a Photoshop AI feature that turns a low resolution image into a high resolution image by adding realistic detail, rather than just stretching existing pixels. It shipped with Photoshop 2026 (version 27.0), so you'll need that version or newer to see it in the menu.

Here's how to use it.

1. Go to Image > Generative Upscale in the top menu bar.
2. Choose your output scale: 2x doubles the image's width and height, 4x quadruples them.
3. Pick a model. Adobe's Firefly is the default, but you can also choose Topaz Gigapixel for more realistic detail or Topaz Bloom for a more stylized result. Both use Generative Credits, so save them for images that need it.
4. Click Generate and wait for Photoshop to process the file.

Generative Upscale works best on photos with clear subject matter. It tends to struggle with very fine text or extremely detailed patterns, so check the result closely before exporting.

Apply Super Resolution

Super Resolution is part of Adobe Camera Raw and works particularly well on raw photo files. It's different from the Camera Raw filter you might apply to a layer: Super Resolution only runs in the standalone Camera Raw dialog.

Here's how to apply it.

1. Open your image in Camera Raw by going to File > Open (raw files open in Camera Raw automatically; for JPEGs or TIFFs, change the Format menu to Camera Raw before opening).
2. Right-click on the photo in Camera Raw and select Enhance.
3. Check the Super Resolution box in the dialog that appears.
4. Click Enhance to confirm.

Super Resolution uses AI to predict and fill in detail and reduce artifacts, and it can quadruple the pixel count of your photo in a single step. The process can take anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes, depending on your file size and hardware. Photoshop saves the result as a new DNG file, so your original image stays untouched.

Which method is the best for increasing image resolution

The table below compares the three main resolution methods so you can choose the right one for your situation.

Sharpen your image

Upscaling adds pixels, but it can soften fine details in the process. Sharpening after you increase resolution brings that clarity back.

Always sharpen after upscaling, not before. Sharpening a low-resolution image before you enlarge it amplifies noise and makes the result look worse.

Here's how to sharpen in Photoshop.

1. Go to Filter > Sharpen.
2. Choose Smart Sharpen fora print viewed up close benefits from around 200 to 300 DPI, while one viewed from a few feet away can look just as sharp at 100 to 150 DPI the most control.
3. Set the Amount between 50% and 150% depending on how soft the image looks.
4. Set the Radius to 1–2 pixels for photos.
5. Click OK.

If the result looks over-sharpened, reduce the layer opacity or use Edit > Fade Smart Sharpen immediately after applying it.

How does image resolution affect print quality?

Resolution describes how many pixels fit into one inch of a digital image, measured in PPI (pixels per inch). More pixels per inch means more detail in a print.

At 72 PPI, a print looks fine on a monitor but soft in physical form. At 300 PPI, a printer has enough information to reproduce sharp edges and fine color gradations. The difference is obvious side by side.

When you increase the pixel dimensions of an image, the file size usually grows too. Upscaling to 300 PPI at the same print dimensions can therefore create a much larger file than the original. It helps to only upscale to what your output actually needs.

Final thoughts

If you're printing custom stickers or labels, 300 PPI is the standard to hit before you upload your artwork. Sticker it's own guidance for bitmap artwork asks for the same thing: 300 DPI at a 1:1 scale of the finished size. Getting the resolution right before you order means the printed version matches the high resolution image you approved on screen.

You can use Sticker it's free online design tool to build or check your artwork before you place an order. If you already have a file ready, the artwork setup guide walks through prepping designs in tools like Illustrator, CorelDRAW, and Canva, and the guide on creating and uploading artwork covers file specs and resolution in more depth.

Get the resolution right, and the sticker you receive will look exactly like the design you approved.