How to Handle Writing and Signs in Restored Photos
By ImgHeal
Preserve readable source lettering and avoid mistaking generated text for a transcription.
Record what is readable
Inspect the source for signs, uniforms, dates, and handwritten captions before editing. Make a crop of important text and transcribe only what you can read. Use brackets or question marks for uncertainty rather than letting a generated version settle it.
Compare letter by letter
After restoration, compare each meaningful word against the original crop. AI can produce letter-like shapes that look convincing at a glance but change names or numbers. More contrast does not make an unsupported reading accurate.
Keep a separate transcription
For a family archive, store the transcription and its evidence beside the image. If you manually add a caption for display, distinguish it from writing present in the original photograph. Keep an untouched source for anyone who wants to check your reading.
Before you finish
- Save a source crop of important text.
- Check words and dates character by character.
- Label added captions separately.
Continue with a related guide
Try a restoration on a copy of your photo
Keep the original scan. Upload a separate digital copy, review ImgHeal’s generated result, and decide whether it suits your needs.
Open ImgHeal