Black and white photographs have a special atmosphere, but sometimes you want to return the colors to them - be it old family photographs or artistic shots. On Android, this can be done in a few minutes, using both specialized applications and online services with artificial intelligence. Unlike professional graphic editors on a PC, mobile tools offer a convenient interface and automated algorithms that cope with the task even without experience.

In this article we will look at 7 proven methods black and white photo coloring on Android: from simple applications like Colorize to advanced solutions like Photoshop Express manual correction. You'll learn which methods produce the most realistic results, how to avoid common mistakes (such as unnatural color spots), and which settings will help improve the final image. And for those who value speed, we have prepared a comparative table of tools based on the criteria of quality, processing time and offline availability.

Why coloring B&W photos on Android is easy

Modern smartphones Android equipped with powerful processors and neural networks that analyze images in a fraction of a second. Unlike manual coloring on Photoshop on a computer, mobile applications automatically:

  • 🎨 Identify objects on photos (faces, clothes, sky, grass) and select realistic colors.
  • ⚡ Process pictures in 5–30 seconds (depending on resolution).
  • 📱 Work without the Internet (most applications support offline mode).
  • 🆓 Offer free versions with basic functionality.

In addition, many services use cloud neural networks (for example, MyHeritage InColor or DeOldify), which were trained on millions of historical photographs. This allows you to achieve results that are close to professional. However, automatic methods also have disadvantages: sometimes the colors are too saturated or do not match the original palette. In such cases, it will help manual correction in applications like Snapseed or Lightroom Mobile.

📊 How often do you edit photos on your smartphone?
Every day
Several times a week
Rarely, as needed
Never

Top 5 applications for coloring B&W photos on Android

The choice of application depends on your goals: do you need maximum automation, the ability to manually refine or support high permissions. We tested dozens of apps and selected the best in terms of quality and convenience.

Application Automatic coloring Manual correction Max. resolution Offline mode Free version
Colorize ✅ (neural network) ❌ 4000×4000 ✅ ✅ (with watermark)
MyHeritage InColor ✅ (cloud neural network) ✅ (limited) 12 MP ❌ ✅ (5 photos/day)
Photoshop Express ❌ ✅ (brushes, layers) 16 MP ✅ ✅
Remini ✅ (AI + improvement) ❌ 8 MP ❌ ✅ (3 photos/day)
PicsArt ✅ (filters) ✅ (layers, masks) 10 MP ✅ ✅ (with advertising)

For most users, the optimal choice will be Colorize or MyHeritage InColor —they give the best results out of the box. If you need fine-tuning colors, pay attention to Photoshop Express or PicsArt, where you can manually paint over individual areas with a brush. Please note that some applications (for example Remini) not only colorize, but also automatically improve sharpness and detailwhich is useful for old or damaged photos.

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Before coloring, increase the contrast of the B&W photo in any editor (for example, Google Photos). This will help neural networks more accurately determine the boundaries of objects.

Step-by-step guide: coloring in Colorize

Application Colorize from the developer Algorithmia uses a neural network trained on historical photographs and gives one one of the most realistic results among offline solutions. Let's look at the process with an example.

Upload the original in maximum resolution|Crop off excess edges (if necessary)|Increase the contrast by 10-15%|Save a copy of the original-->

  1. Install the application from Google Play (free, without unnecessary water). Open it and click Select Image.

  2. Select B&W photo from the gallery. The application supports formats JPG, PNG and WEBP with a resolution of up to 4000×4000 pixels.

  3. Wait for processing. The neural network analyzes the image for 10–30 seconds (depending on the power of the smartphone). A preliminary result will appear on the screen.

  4. Compare the original and the resultby moving the slider Before/After. If the colors seem unnatural, try:

    • 🔄 Restart processing (button Re-colorize).
    • 🎨 Adjust saturation manually (slider Vibrance).

  • Save the result to the gallery or share on social networks. In the free version, a watermark is added to the photo Colorized by Algorithmia.

    • If the final color seems too bright, export the photo and reduce the saturation in another editor (for example, in SnapseedTo do this:

    1. Open the photo in Snapseed.
    2. Go to Tools → Saturation.
    3. Reduce the value to -10..-20.
      4. How to remove the watermark in Colorize?

      To remove the inscription "Colorized by Algorithmia", you need to buy premium version of the application (≈$5). An alternative way is to crop the edge of the photo or paint over the sign in Photoshop Express tool Healing Brush.

      Coloring through online services: pros and cons

      If you do not want to install applications, you can use web services. They usually offer more powerful neural networks, but require downloading. photos to third-party servers. Let's consider three popular options:

      • 🌐 MyHeritage InColor (web version): colors up to 5 photos per day for free, supports facial animation. Link.
      • 🖼️ DeOldify: uses an open neural network, suitable for old photographs (before the 1950s). Link.
      • 🤖 Palette.fm: allows you to select a color palette (for example, “vintage” or “modern”). Link.

      The main advantage of online services is high quality coloring thanks to powerful server neural networks. However, there is also. Disadvantages:

      ⚠️ Attention: Uploading a photo to third-party services, you may violate privacy rights (if the picture shows other people) Before using, check the data processing policy on the site.

      For the maximum. security:

      • Use anonymized photos (without faces or with blur).
      • Remove metadata (EXIF) before downloading through applications like EXIF Eraser.
      • Check if it does not save does the service have processed photos in its database (this is indicated in Terms of Service).
    💡

    Online services provide better coloring quality, but are only suitable for photos without confidential information.

    Manual coloring in Photoshop Express: for perfectionists

    If automatic tools do not suit you, you can colorize the photo manually. Photoshop Express is one of the few mobile applications that supports working with layers and maskswhich is critical for accurate coloring.

    Action algorithm:

    1. Open the photo in Photoshop Express and duplicate the layer (Layers → Duplicate).

    2. Select tool Brush (size 10–20 px, hardness 50%).

    3. On a new empty layer, start painting over areas using Blend mode "Color" (this preserves the textures of the original).

    4. For complex objects (for example, hair) use Layer Mask tool and the Lasso.

    Tips for realistic results:

    • 🎨 Study the color palettes of the era. For example, clothes of the 1920s were often pastel colors, and those of the 1970s were often with bright contrasts.
    • 👁️ Compare with colors in modern photos of the same objects (for example, shades of the sky or foliage).
    • 🔍 Zoom in when painting small parts (buttons, decorations).
    ⚠️ Attention: When manually painting, save the project (File → Save as PSD) every 10-15 minutes. Photoshop Express may close unexpectedly under high load on smartphone.

    How to improve a colorized photo: post-processing

    Even after colorization, the photo may look dull or unnatural. Simple post-processing techniques will help fix this:

    1. Color Balance Correction:

      • B Snapseed go to Tools → Color Balance.
      • Reduce Warm tones by 5–10%if colors are too yellowish.

    2. Add graininess (for a vintage effect):

      • In VSCO apply filter HB2 with force 30%.
      • Add texture Grain +2.

  • Enhance sharpness (if the photo is blurry):

    • B Lightroom Mobile use Detail → Sharpness (value 25–40).

      • To check the realism, compare the processed photo with the original in black and white mode:

      1. Open both images in Google Photos.
      2. Apply a filter Monument (B&W) to the colorized version.
      3. If the contours of the objects match - the colors are chosen correctly.

    Typical mistakes and how to avoid them

    Even with automatic tools you can get an unsatisfactory result. Here are the most common problems and their solutions:

    Problem Cause Solution
    Unnatural skin colors The neural network incorrectly identified the shade Manually paint your face in Photoshop Express (use HSL correction)
    Color spots on uniform surfaces Low original resolution Enlarge the photo 2 times through Remini before coloring
    Colors are too bright High saturation by default Reduce Vibrance by 20–30% in any editor
    Artifacts at the boundaries of objects Weak contrast of the original Increase the contrast to +15% before coloring

    If you are coloring old family photospay attention for historical accuracy. For example:

    • 👗 Clothing of the 1940s often were in gray or brown shades (due to a shortage of paints).
    • 🚗 Cars of the 1920s–1930s rarely were bright (black, dark blue).
    • 🌿 Nature in old photos may appear paler due to the characteristics of the film.
      • ⚠️ Attention: When coloring portraits, avoid excessive lightening pupils - this makes the look unnatural. Use the tool Dodging V Snapseed with no more force 10%.

      FAQ: answers to frequently asked questions

      Is it possible to colorize a photo without losing quality?

      Yes, if the original is in high resolution (from 2000×2000 px). When coloring through neural networks, the quality depends on the algorithm: MyHeritage InColor and DeOldify preserve details better than any mobile application. processing may add noise - to remove it, use Topaz Gigapixel AI (on a PC) or Remini (on a phone).

      How to colorize a photo if it has a lot of small details (for example, a crowd of people)?

      For complex scenes with many objects:

      1. Split the photo into parts using Photoshop Express (tool Crop).
      2. Color each fragment separately.
      3. Glue the results together PicsArt (tool Collage).

      For automation, try Palette.fm —it copes better than others with loaded compositions.

      Do they pay for colored photos? Where can I sell them?

      Yes, painted historical photos are in demand on:

      • 📸 Photo banks: Shutterstock, Adobe Stock (specify tags colorized, vintage).
      • 🎨 Platforms for artists: Etsy (print on canvas), Redbubble (souvenir products).
      • 📖 Publishers: some buy colorized archival photos for history books.

      Average price per photo: $10–$50 depending on complexity and license.

      Is it possible to colorize a photo printed on paper?

      Yes, but first you need to digitize the photo:

      1. Scan the photo on a printer with a resolution 600 dpi (or take a photo on a smartphone in Pro with good lighting).
      2. Remove glare and dust in Snapseed (tool Healing).
      3. Increase the contrast by 15–20% before coloring.

      For old scratched photos, use Remini — it restores damaged areas.

      Which application is better for coloring portraits?

      For portraits we recommend:

      1. MyHeritage InColor —the best automation for faces.
      2. Photoshop Express —if you need manual painting of lips, eyes, hair.
      3. FaceApp — for additional retouching (skin lightening, removing wrinkles).

      Avoid Colorize for portraits - it often colors teeth yellow and lips too bright red.