Why does my photo look washed out?

The ends of the histogram are empty: the black and white points are not spread, so there is neither a real black nor a real white in the picture. On this page, pull the “black point” and “white point” sliders in until the first real black and white appear, then stop.

What is the difference between Levels and Curves?

Levels only moves three things — black point, white point and midtones — which makes it fast and direct; curves let you add a control point at any brightness, which is finer. Anything levels can do curves can do too, but not the other way round, and for everyday flatness and brightness levels is handier. (The curves page here is likewise a simplified three-slider version; both full panels live in the editor.)

What is the fastest way to fix a colour cast?

The fastest way is in the full editor: take the grey eyedropper and click something that ought to be neutral grey (concrete, a shadow on a white wall, grey clothing) and the cast disappears on the spot; with no reference to click, switch to the red, green and blue channels and set their black and white points. The three sliders on this page act on the whole image and cannot fix a cast.

Is my image uploaded? Do I need an account?

Nothing is uploaded — it all runs in your own browser. Free, no sign-up, no usage limit.

Levels

Three sliders: black point · white point · midtones. Runs locally, nothing is uploaded.

or start a blank document

A photo that looks grey, flat and «lacking depth» nearly always has levels that don't fill the range: the histogram is empty at both ends, which means the darkest thing in the picture isn't actually black and the brightest isn't actually white. Pull the end sliders inwards and the contrast comes straight back.

A washed-out photo is a histogram with empty ends: the darkest part is not dark and the lightest is not light. This page gives you three sliders: “Black point” and “White point” pull the two ends in to where there is data, which brings the contrast back, and “Midtones” (gamma) moves the overall brightness without touching the ends. Change any of them and the right side recomputes at once. The full editor's levels panel adds four more things: output black and white points (compressing overall contrast, common in print), per-channel black and white points for red, green and blue (the most effective rescue for a colour cast), a histogram (you can see exactly how empty the ends are, and switching to a channel shows that channel's), and the black, grey and white eyedroppers (click once on the image to set them; the grey one cures colour casts), with Ctrl+L as in Photoshop.

Key features

Three sliders, done

Black and white points pull in the ends, midtones moves the brightness — that's how a washed-out photo is rescued.

The three eyedroppers are in the editor

Black, grey and white eyedroppers, set with one click on the image; the grey one cures colour casts — in the full editor's levels panel.

Per-channel (editor)

Separate black and white points for red, green and blue rescue a colour cast far better than a global setting — only that panel in the full editor has it.

Histogram (editor)

See the pixel distribution at a glance, per channel if you switch — in the full editor. This page relies on the live preview on the right instead.

How to use

1
Add an image

Drag it into the box, or press Ctrl+V to paste.
2
Look at where it is washed out

A flat grey image whose darkest area is not dark means the black and white points are not spread. For the actual histogram, go to the full editor.
3
Pull the black and white points in

Pull “black point” and “white point” inwards until the first real black and white appear; “midtones” moves the overall brightness.
4
Download

Save it, or carry on to Curves for finer control.

FAQ

Why does my photo look washed out?: The ends of the histogram are empty: the black and white points are not spread, so there is neither a real black nor a real white in the picture. On this page, pull the “black point” and “white point” sliders in until the first real black and white appear, then stop.
What is the difference between Levels and Curves?: Levels only moves three things — black point, white point and midtones — which makes it fast and direct; curves let you add a control point at any brightness, which is finer. Anything levels can do curves can do too, but not the other way round, and for everyday flatness and brightness levels is handier. (The curves page here is likewise a simplified three-slider version; both full panels live in the editor.)
What is the fastest way to fix a colour cast?: The fastest way is in the full editor: take the grey eyedropper and click something that ought to be neutral grey (concrete, a shadow on a white wall, grey clothing) and the cast disappears on the spot; with no reference to click, switch to the red, green and blue channels and set their black and white points. The three sliders on this page act on the whole image and cannot fix a cast.
Is my image uploaded? Do I need an account?: Nothing is uploaded — it all runs in your own browser. Free, no sign-up, no usage limit.

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