How to use ChatGPT to add colours to your black and white photos

TOI Tech Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Apr 18, 2025, 15:16 IST

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AI image trends are gaining traction, with ChatGPT now enabling users to breathe new life into old black and white family photos. By using simple prompts, cherished memories can be transformed into naturally colorized versions, preserving original details and textures. While results may vary, this trend offers a unique way to reconnect with the past and share family history.

How to use ChatGPT to add colours to your black and white photos

Move over Studio Ghibli-style photos, people are using AI tools for more than that. From giving pets a human-like look to creating Barbie-style avatars, AI image trends are becoming common. One of the most popular trends now is using ChatGPT to bring old black and white family photos to life by adding colour. As mentioned before, it started with users asking ChatGPT to turn their pictures into Ghibli-style characters. The trend quickly spread. People are now asking the ChatGPT to turn black and white photos of their parents and grandparents into coloured ones. Here’s how you can try it for yourself.

Prompt required to colour old photos

Start with a simple prompt: Convert this black and white photo into a naturally colorised version that looks like an authentic color photograph. If you wish to specify any specific detail to ChatGPT or the AI tool asks for more detail, you can enter details like:

This is my parents’ wedding photo. It was taken in the 1970s. Please keep the colours natural.
Accurately render skin tones, eye color, and natural textures, especially if it’s a portrait.
Use realistic lighting and historically appropriate colors based on the era or context of the image.
Preserve original details, textures, and contrast from the black and white photo.
Avoid over-saturation, stylised filters, or any visible AI artefacts.
For street or landscape scenes, apply realistic tones to sky, foliage, fabric, surfaces, and architecture.
Ensure a true-to-life color balance with subtle enhancements that maintain the photo’s original mood and atmosphere.

Steps to add colour to old photos using ChatGPT

Step 1: Go to the ChatGPT website or app. Make sure you are using a version that supports images.
Step 2: Find the black and white photo you want to colour. Upload it in the chat window.
Step 3: Ask for colouring by giving the prompt mentioned above.
Step 4: ChatGPT will process the photo and give you a coloured version. It usually takes a few seconds.
Step 5: Once you’re happy with the result, you can download it and share it with your family or post it online.
Note: For our testing, we used an old image from the internet. We would like to specify here that the results may vary from photo to photo. On closer look, some small errors might be visible. Also, what ChatGPT does can not be termed image restoration. It simply adds colour to the photos.

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TOI Tech Desk

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