Upscayl 2.15.0 is a free Windows app that enlarges and sharpens photos and other images with AI. The December 25, 2024 release adds a High Fidelity model, a Lens Viewer and clipboard pasting. It is licensed AGPL-3.0 and built by Nayam Amarshe.
Setting up Upscayl 2.15.0 on first launch
The installer is 248.8 MB. This version adds an onboarding dialog that lets you configure the app before you upscale anything.
You can also paste an image from the clipboard instead of opening a file. A System Info section in Settings and Logs helps if something fails.
High Fidelity model and the Lens Viewer
The headline addition is a model called High Fidelity. Model selection now shows example images and descriptions, so you can compare choices before running one.
The release also adds a Lens Viewer, TTA Mode, and a sidebar with stats such as total images upscaled and average upscale time. Translations cover nine languages, including Japanese, Spanish and Vietnamese.
When ChatGPT or Ollama fits better
Upscayl does one job: image upscaling. The listed alternatives, ChatGPT, Ollama, LM Studio, Claude, Jan and Microsoft Copilot, are general AI assistants and local model runners. Pick one of them if you need text generation or chat rather than larger pictures.
What's new in 2.15.0
Version 2.15 adds the High Fidelity model, a new interface, multiple languages and a Lens Viewer. The author also notes that the build was updated after an early High Fidelity problem, so a fresh download is advised.
Upscayl pros and cons
Pros
- Free
- AGPL-3.0 open-source licence
- New High Fidelity model
- Nine interface languages added
- Clipboard paste support
Cons
- Installer is 248.8 MB
- The interface can only be judged after installing
- Windows path length alert appears at 256+ characters
Is Upscayl safe?
Upscayl is open source under AGPL-3.0, so its code can be inspected by anyone. The developer is Nayam Amarshe, who runs the project site at upscayl.org. The 2.15.0 build was re-uploaded shortly after release to fix the High Fidelity model, so download the current version.
How to install Upscayl
- Press the download button to get the official file.
- Run the installer you saved and confirm the Windows security prompt if the publisher matches.
- Follow the setup steps, then start Upscayl from the Start menu.
