In Google Photos, raise Shadows before Brightness – it lifts the dark areas of the photo without washing out the parts that are already bright.
What you need
- The photo, saved to your phone or computer
- Google Photos, free, on your phone or at photos.google.com
- About two minutes
Save as a copy first
Save your edit as a copy rather than overwriting the original – that way you can always start again if you’re not happy with the result.
How to brighten the photo
- Open the photo in Google Photos and tap Edit.
- Try the automatic Enhance option first – it often finds a good balance in one tap.
- If parts of the photo are still too dark, open Adjust and drag Shadows up until you can see detail in the darkest areas.
- Nudge Brightness or Highlights slightly if the photo still needs it, watching that the brightest areas don’t turn flat white.
- Save a copy.
Check shadow detail is visible
Look at faces or objects in what was the darkest part of the photo – you should now be able to make out detail there, while the sky or any bright areas still look natural rather than blown out.
If the scan is badly underexposed
For a badly underexposed scan, Photoshop Elements’ Shadows/Highlights tool, under the Enhance menu, gives finer separate control over dark and light areas than Google Photos’ sliders.
Next step
If the photo also has an odd colour tone once it’s brighter, see Correct a yellow colour cast on an ageing print.
Sources and date checked
Google Photos Help Centre, checked 22 September 2026.