FreeLevels & Curves
Adjust levels and curves
Set black point, white point and midtones against a live histogram.
Drop an image here, or .
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Levels & Curves: how to use it
- Drop in a photo. A histogram shows how the brightness is spread.
- Move Input black up to where the histogram starts and Input white down to where it ends. This alone fixes most flat, grey-looking photos.
- Use Midpoint gamma to brighten or darken the middle tones, or pick a Curve preset such as Soft S for more contrast. Then download.
Tips
- Choose a single Channel (red, green or blue) to correct a colour cast. For example, lower the blue channel's midpoint on a photo that is too blue.
- Raising Output black gives the faded, matte look used in many photo edits.
- The Histogram Viewer shows how much of an image is clipped at each end.
Levels & Curves: what it does and when to use it
Levels and curves are how photo editors have fixed tone for decades. Levels sets three points: the input black, the darkest value that should become pure black; the input white, the brightest that should become pure white; and the midpoint gamma, which brightens or darkens the middle tones without touching either end. Curves bend the whole tonal range, and an S-shaped curve is the classic way to add contrast.
The live histogram shows how the brightness in your photo is spread. A flat, hazy photo has a histogram that sits in the middle and leaves gaps at both ends; dragging the black point up to where the data starts and the white point down to where it ends stretches the tones to use the full range, which alone fixes many dull pictures, scans and photos taken through a window.
Pushing the points past where the data starts clips detail to pure black or white, and heavy curves on a compressed JPEG can show banding in smooth areas like skies. Make small moves and compare. For quick corrections by name, such as warmer or brighter, Image Adjustments is simpler.
Levels & Curves: frequently asked questions
What is the difference between levels and curves?
Levels sets three points, black, white and midtones, which is quick and fixes most flat photos. Curves lets you shape the whole tonal range, for example lifting shadows without touching highlights. Both work on the same histogram, which you can also inspect with the Histogram Viewer.
How do I fix a hazy or washed-out photo?
Drag the black point in to where the histogram starts and the white point to where it ends. The haze is simply unused tonal range, and setting the end points uses it again.
How do I make a scanned document whiter?
Move the white point left until the paper turns pure white, and the black point right until the text is solid black. Our phone scanning guide covers the whole process.