How To Turn Black And White Photos To Color: 3 Fast Ways To Transform

Dreamina: The perfect way to convert black and white photos to color online

Dreamina is an AI design that makes photo editing simple, fast, and accessible for everyday users. From restoring old family photos to enhancing creative visuals, AI-powered editing helps bring more life and emotion into images without manual effort. With advanced capabilities from Seedream 4.5, Dreamina supports precise image-to-image colorization and interactive editing for natural results. Features like AI Agent also guide users with prompts and suggestions, making the process easier from start to finish.

How to colourise black and white photos using Dreamina

Click the link below to get started with Dreamina and turn a black and white photo to color in minutes.

step 1
1. Write the prompts

Go to Dreamina's website, click "+", and upload the image. Then, enter a clear prompt in the text bar describing how you want the colors. Then click the "Send" arrow to let AI generate an image for you.

Example Prompt:

"Colorize this black-and-white portrait realistically. Add natural, aged skin tones with visible wrinkles and texture preserved. Apply soft, earthy colours to her headscarf, such as brown. Keep the lighting natural and gentle, with realistic shadows and highlights. Maintain emotional depth and original facial expression without smoothing or beautifying."

step 2
1. Add colors to your image

After writing the prompt, let Dreamina process the image and automatically apply the colours you specified. You can use tools like "Retouch," "Expand," and "Inpaint" to refine details or rewrite the prompt to improve colour accuracy and overall balance.

step 3
1. Download the image

Once you complete your edits, click the "Download" icon in the top-right corner. The image will be saved to your device

Added tools to add color to a black-and-white photo

• Advanced AI colorize

The advanced AI photo color changer automatically analyzes image details and applies natural colors to black-and-white photos. It works well for restoring old family pictures by generating realistic skin tones, clothing shades, and background colors. This feature helps users bring faded memories back to life quickly without manual color adjustments.

• Creative AI inpaint

This feature allows you to add or refine colors in selected areas of a photo with precision. AI inpainting is useful for recoloring clothing, objects, or backgrounds while preserving the rest of the image. This targeted editing ensures accurate results that feel intentional and visually balanced.

• AI photo denoiser

Designed to clean up old or low-quality images, the denoiser AI tool removes grain, scratches, and unwanted noise. A cleaner image surface helps colors appear smoother and more consistent after colorization. It works well for scanned photos or aged prints that have lost clarity over time. The final image feels sharper without losing original details.

• Quick image upscaling

Low-resolution photos can lose detail when shared or printed, which is where an AI image upscaler becomes useful. It intelligently resizes images while preserving edges and textures. The tool works well for preparing restored photos for large displays or physical prints. As a result, images look sharper and more professional without manual adjustments.

How to colourize black and white photos in Photoshop

Colourizing black-and-white photos in Photoshop is fast and accurate, thanks to its built-in AI Colorize feature. With just a few clicks, Photoshop automatically adds realistic colours while preserving original details and tones. You can further refine the colours manually to achieve a more natural and professional look.

Quickly turn black and white photos to color: Photoshop

Follow these steps to turn black and white photos to color in Photoshop:

step 1
1. Upload a photo

Open Photoshop and upload your black-and-white image by clicking "File" > "Open." You can also drag the photo directly into the workspace.

step 2
1. Colorize the photo

Go to "Image" > "Adjustments" > "Neural Filters," then enable the Colorize option. Photoshop's AI will automatically analyse the photo and apply realistic colours. Use the colorized adjustment sliders to fine-tune saturation, warmth, and overall balance for better results.

step 3
1. Refine and download your image

After colourizing, export your image by selecting "File" > "Export" > "Export As" and download it in your preferred format.

Key features

Here are the key features of Photoshop:

• AI colorize (Neural Filters)

Automatically adds realistic colours to black-and-white photos using AI while preserving original details.

• Adjustment layers

Let you fine-tune colours and tones non-destructively for more accurate and professional results.

• Layer masks

Allow selective colour application to specific areas without affecting the entire image.

• Blend modes

Help blend added colours naturally while keeping the original lighting and texture intact.

How to colorize black and white photos in Lightroom

Transforming black-and-white photos into full-color images in Lightroom is a simple yet powerful process. With Lightroom's Adjustment Brush and precise color controls, you can manually add realistic colors to specific areas of your photo while maintaining depth and tonal balance. This method gives you full creative control, allowing you to enhance details and achieve natural-looking results in just a few easy steps.

Precisely convert black and white to color: Lightroom

Here's how to make a black and white photo color in Lightroom:

step 1
1. Upload a photo

Open Lightroom and import your black-and-white photo by clicking "File" > "Import Photos."

step 2
1. Colorize the photo

Switch to the "Develop" module from the top menu. On the right-hand panel, select the "Adjustment Brush" tool (or press K on your keyboard).

In the adjustment brush settings, move the "Color" box to choose a color, then adjust the Saturation, Exposure, and Flow sliders for a natural look. Carefully paint over the areas where you want to add color, such as skin, clothing, or background elements.

step 3
1. Download your image

Once satisfied with your edits, export the photo by clicking "File" > "Export." Choose your desired format and save location.

Key features

Here are the key features available in Lightroom that help you turn black and white photos to color effectively:

• Color grading controls

Lightroom lets you adjust colors in shadows, midtones, and highlights separately for better tonal balance.

• Color mixer & point color adjustments

This feature allows you to fine-tune specific colors by adjusting their hue, saturation, and brightness.

• Adaptive profiles & white balance

Adaptive profiles enhance overall color accuracy, while white balance corrects temperature and tint.

• Selective editing with masks

Masking tools help apply color edits to selected areas without affecting the entire image.

When it makes sense to convert black and white to color

Now that you know how to colorize black and white photos, let's explore the scenarios where changing photo color truly makes a difference.

• Old photo restoration

Bringing aged black-and-white photos into color helps revive faded memories and adds life to images that have lost their visual impact over time. This makes people feel more connected to the past by seeing familiar faces and places in lifelike hues.

• Social media sharing

Color photos get more attention and engagement on social platforms because they feel more vivid and real. Whether you're sharing before-and-after results or simply showing treasured moments, adding color helps your content stand out.

• Personal memory revival

Colorizing old portraits or family snapshots can spark emotion and bring treasured moments back to reality. Seeing loved ones and important scenes in color enriches personal stories and makes memories feel more present and meaningful.

• Marketing or prints

For promotional materials, websites, or framed prints, color images often attract more interest and look more professional than grayscale originals. Adding color can enhance visual appeal for ads, brochures, or gallery displays.

• Creative photo projects

Artists, designers, and photographers use colorization to reimagine old images with fresh expression or artistic flair. Colorized photos can become unique pieces for exhibitions, portfolios, storytelling, or visual art projects.

Key practices to convert black and white to color

Here are essential practices that make turning black and white photos to color more effective and reliable:

• Choose high-quality source images

Starting with a clear, high-resolution image gives better results when adding color. Sharp photos preserve fine details, making it easier for colors to blend naturally and appear more realistic.

• Select accurate color palettes carefully

Picking colors that match the era, lighting, and object type makes the final result feel natural and believable. Study the real-world photos so skin tones, fabrics, and backgrounds match what you would expect in real life.

• Apply layers for a realistic effect

Separating areas into layers provides greater control over the colorization process. This approach makes it easier to adjust one section at a time without disturbing the rest of the image.

• Adjust brightness and contrast settings

Proper brightness and contrast improve visibility in shadows and highlights. These adjustments help colors appear more natural and prevent the image from looking flat or dull.

• Preview changes before final export

Always review the photo with before/after toggles to catch any errors in color balance or strange hues. Previewing helps you spot areas that need adjustment and ensures the final result looks professional.

Conclusion

Converting monochrome images no longer has to be complex or time-consuming. With Dreamina and its advanced models like Seedream 4.0, you can turn a black and white photo to color with realistic tones, precise edits, and minimal effort. From AI-powered colorization to tools like Creative AI Inpaint, denoising, and upscaling, Dreamina delivers reliable results for both personal and creative needs. Start using Dreamina today to restore memories, enhance details, and bring timeless photos back to life easily.

FAQs

1
1. How to edit a photo to a white background without losing quality?

To maintain image quality, use an AI generator like Dreamina that handles background changes precisely. With Seedream 4.5, you can isolate the subject accurately and place it on a clean white background without blurring edges or losing detail. This approach avoids compression issues common in manual editing.

2
1. Are layers necessary to add color to black-and-white photos?

Layers are helpful in traditional editing, but they aren't required when using AI-powered tools. Dreamina simplifies the process by automatically applying realistic colors through models like Seedream 4.5, reducing the need for complex layer management. This makes colorization easier, even for users with no editing experience.

3
1. What tools are best for hand-coloring black-and-white photos?

For precise, guided colorization, Dreamina offers advanced features such as Creative AI Inpaint and AI Agent support. The AI Agent can suggest prompts, color ideas, and editing steps, while interactive editing in Seedream 4.5 allows controlled refinements. These tools help deliver detailed results without manual trial-and-error.

If you are interested in adjusting the color of the image, you can also read the following articles:

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