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Is Topaz Photo AI worth it for occasional use, or is it built for professionals?
Whether Topaz Photo AI makes sense if you only expect to restore a handful of old photos, rather than using it regularly.
The guide library
A little knowledge.
A manageable next step.
Browse all our guides, or choose the task you have in mind.
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Should a beginner start with Apple Photos or a dedicated organiser?
Whether Apple Photos' built-in simplicity is enough for a beginner, or if a dedicated organising app is worth the extra setup.
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What to look for in a photo-scanning service's turnaround guarantee
What questions to ask a scanning service about how long they will take, and what happens if they run over.
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Choosing between a subscription and a one-off purchase for restoration software
How to weigh an ongoing subscription against a single upfront purchase when choosing restoration software.
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digiKam or Lightroom Classic: which suits a technical user on a budget?
Comparing a free, open-source photo organiser against Adobe's subscription-based Lightroom Classic.
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Is a NAS (network drive) worth it for a family's whole photo library?
What a NAS actually does, and whether it makes sense for a family managing a large shared photo collection.
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Which free photo organiser actually works offline?
What to look for if you want to organise your photo library without needing an internet connection every time.
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Amazon Photos or Google Photos: is unlimited storage still unlimited?
What "unlimited" photo storage actually means with each service today, and what limits still apply.
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Should you pay for cloud storage or buy a personal backup drive?
Weighing an ongoing cloud storage subscription against a one-off external drive purchase for backing up your photos.
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Nektony Duplicate File Finder or a built-in duplicate tool: which is safer?
Comparing a dedicated duplicate-finder app against your operating system or photo app's own built-in duplicate detection.
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What does a "lifetime licence" for photo software actually guarantee?
What a one-off "lifetime licence" purchase does and does not promise, so you know what you are actually paying for.
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Snapseed or Google Photos editing: do you need a separate app?
Whether Snapseed's extra editing tools are worth using alongside Google Photos, or if Google Photos' built-in editor is enough.
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PhotoScan or a flatbed scanner app: which is faster for a small batch?
Comparing a phone scanning app against a flatbed scanner for digitising a small number of prints.
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Is a dedicated photo-scanning app worth it over your phone's camera?
Whether a purpose-built scanning app gives noticeably better results than just photographing a print with your regular camera app.
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ON1 Photo RAW or Photoshop Elements: which suits a one-off restoration job?
How these two tools compare for a single restoration project, rather than ongoing professional use.
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What does Adobe's photography plan actually include?
A plain-English look at what you get, and do not get, with Adobe's Photography subscription plan.
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Is Mylio worth it for a multi-device family library?
What Mylio does differently from cloud-only services, and who it actually suits.
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Free trial or subscription: what to check before committing to photo software
What to look at during a free trial so you do not end up paying for software you do not actually need.
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Google Photos or iCloud Photos: which fits a mixed-device household?
Which service makes more sense when your household has a mix of Android, iPhone, Mac and Windows devices.
Improve your photos
Try Topaz Photo AI on one difficult old photo
A walkthrough of running a single difficult old photo through Topaz Photo AI, and what to check in the result before trusting it.
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Correct white balance in an indoor flash photo
How to fix the orange or blue colour cast that indoor flash photography often leaves behind.
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Reduce noise in a photo taken on an old phone
How to reduce the speckled, grainy look that older phone cameras often produce, especially in low light.
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Fix a photo scanned at an angle
How to straighten a photo that came out crooked when it was scanned, and crop it cleanly afterwards.
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Repair a torn corner in a family photo
How to fill in a torn or missing corner of an old photo so it looks complete again, without inventing detail that was not there.