How to upscale an image on a Mac without uploading it
By Kayabyte · Last updated 14 November 2026
Short answer: use an upscaler that runs its AI model on your Mac. In Upsharp, drop the image on the window, choose the model and the scale, press Upscale and choose where to save. The image never leaves your computer.
Steps with Upsharp
- Open Upsharp and drop the image (JPEG, PNG, HEIC, TIFF or WebP).
- Choose a model: Fast for a quick result, Best for photos and scans, Art and Anime for drawings. In the free version Fast and 2x are available; a licence adds the rest.
- Choose 2x, 4x or 8x.
- Press Upscale, compare with the before and after slider, then save. The original is not changed.
Why local matters
Web upscalers send your file to a server, often with credits or a subscription. A local app needs no account and no internet to upscale, so private family photos and client work stay on your Mac.
Limits
AI upscaling adds plausible detail; it does not recover information that is gone. It suits photos, art and old scans, not tiny screenshot text. A large image at 8x takes minutes, not seconds.
Download Upsharp (free) · Pricing
Apple, Mac and macOS are trademarks of Apple Inc. Upsharp is made by Kayabyte and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Apple.