Brighten your photos for free online.

Use our photo enhancer tools to fix a dark picture, improve detail on an image, increase contrast and brightness, adjust tones, and more.

Upload your photo

How to brighten a photo.

1. Select image.

Upload images from your device or browse thousands of free Adobe Stock images in the online editor to find the perfect photo for your project.

2. Brighten.

Select your photo, then click on Adjustments and browse through photo editing tools. Use the Brighten sliding scale to make your image lighter or darker.

3. Continue editing.

Keep editing and add icons, text, filters, and more to your photo. Instantly download your newly brightened image to share to your favorite social channels or in print.

Automatically brighten your images in a snap.

Select the Adjustments option and watch as Adobe Express applies brilliant image enhancements to your photo in seconds.

Enhance your image instantly.

Open the Adjustments menu for further personalization. Adjust the lighting of your photo to define contrast, adjust photo brightness, highlight, and shadow. Curate the color aesthetic with the image saturation and warmth options. Then, select the sharpen image tool to add clarity to a blurry photo.

Further enhance your image with filters, text, layers, and more.

The Adobe Express online photo editor offers endless ways to create and customize. Enhance the aesthetic of your photo with dozens of photo filters. Or, add dimension to your design by adding new layers of eye-catching text or stunning graphics.

Customize your photos online to make unforgettable content.

Adobe Express makes it easy to achieve professional-quality image edits in minutes. Take time to explore the image enhancement features, along with the other editing options to start developing your very own style. With Adobe Express on your side, all you need to do is open the app to start creating unique and standout designs that will excite your audience. There are endless creative opportunities at your fingertips.

Discover even more.

Frequently asked questions.

Can I brighten a photo on my phone?

Absolutely. Download and launch the free Adobe Express app on your mobile device and instantly brighten your images so you can make standout content wherever you go.

How can I brighten a photo for social media?

Choose a canvas size based on your desired social media destination — you can do this by searching for a template using the platform as a keyword or using the Resize option to change the canvas size to preset, popular social media sizes. Then, add your image to your project, apply brightening effects, and instantly download your finished work right to your device to share online.

Can I brighten a specific part of the photo with Adobe Express?

The Adobe Express brighten image feature gets applied to an entire image. There are ways to brighten certain areas using layering, including brightening the background or subject only. You can do this by duplicating your image, removing the background from one, add the desired brightening effect, and then layering the photos on top of each other.

Does the size or quality change after brightening the photo?

The size and quality should remain the same, unless you resize your image while editing it, or choose a canvas size that is larger or smaller than your original image. If you wish to maintain the same size of your image from the start, select the option to start from your photo.

Can I get Adobe Express for free? If so, what’s included?

Yes, Adobe Express has a free plan that includes core features like photo editing tools and effects and thousands of free templates. Learn more about our plans and pricing.