How to Upscale Anime to 4K with AI [Step-by-Step Guide 2025]

This guide explains how to upscale anime to 4K using the best AI upscale anime tools. It covers the benefits of AI upscaling, including sharper visuals and preserving anime style, and reviews the best upscale anime tools options for desktop, online, and mobile users.
upscale anime to 4k

Why Upscale Anime to 4K? 

With the rapid rise of 4K and 8K TVs, streaming platforms, and high-resolution monitors, anime lovers today expect visuals that are as crisp and detailed as the stories they enjoy. Yet many classic anime titles — and even some modern ones — still exist only in 480p or 720p, which look soft, grainy, and washed out on large 4K screens.

animation

Upscaling anime to 4K resolution solves this problem by enhancing clarity, contrast, and color depth so every frame looks closer to a remastered masterpiece. Whether you're revisiting old favorites or preparing content for modern devices, 4K upscaling can make a huge difference.

Key Benefits of Upscaling Anime to 4K

  • Sharper visuals: Enhanced clarity brings out the fine line work and background details, making scenes more lifelike.
  • Richer color depth: Vibrant tones and balanced contrast make characters and landscapes visually striking.
  • Better device compatibility: Eliminates blurriness and pixelation when watching older anime on 4K displays.
  • Revived classics: Gives older shows a fresh, modern look while preserving their nostalgic appeal.
  • Perfect for creators: Produces higher-quality footage for YouTube edits, AMVs, or fan remasters.
  • Future-proof library: Keeps your anime collection ready for next-generation 8K displays and beyond.

Upscaling anime to 4K doesn't just improve video quality—it transforms your viewing experience across all devices, making it more immersive, cinematic, and true to the original artistry.

Why Use AI to Upscale Anime to 4K?

Traditional upscaling methods often struggle with blurred edges, color loss, and distorted line art, especially for animation. That's why modern fans and editors increasingly turn to AI-powered anime upscaler, trained to understand anime’s distinct visual style.

Benefits of Using AI to Upscale Anime to 4K

  • Anime-specific enhancement: AI models trained on thousands of anime frames preserve sharp outlines, vibrant colors, and smooth gradients.
  • Noise and artifact reduction: Removes compression flaws and digital noise without softening line art.
  • Smart detail recovery: Reconstructs missing pixels and textures to achieve near-native 4K quality.
  • Efficiency and automation: Converts full episodes or movies to 4K quickly, without manual redrawing or re-editing.
  • Preserved authenticity: Enhances clarity while keeping the original animation style, mood, and tone intact.

In short, AI upscale anime tools combine technology and artistry—giving anime fans, collectors, and creators a way to relive their favorite stories in breathtaking 4K clarity without losing the hand-drawn soul of the original.

How to Upscale Anime to 4K: Step-by-Step Tutorial

Now that you know the benefits, let's look at how easy it is to upscale anime to 4K using a specialized AI upscale anime tool, letting you can watch anime in 4K again. Here's a simple three-step workflow using UniFab Video Upscaler AI — one of the top-rated upscale anime tools in 2025.

Free Download

30-day Free Trial for full feature, without watermark!

Step 1

Load Your Anime Video

Open UniFab, click 'All Features', and seclect 'Upscaler' from 'Video AI' section. Click the '+' button to add your anime video to upscale, or drag and drop the file directly.

upscale anime to 4k-step 1
Step 2

Customize Output Settings

Choose the 'Anime Optimized' to optimize for anime-specific visuals. Set the output resolution to 4K. You can also adjust audio, codec, format, and other output parameters as needed.

how to upscale anime to 4k-step2
Step 3

Start Processing

Hit 'Start' button, and the software will automatically analyze each frame using deep-learning AI. The tool restores fine details, enhances colors, and eliminates noise for a smooth 4K finish. With GPU acceleration, UniFab can process videos up to 50x faster than standard rendering.

For a more detailed walkthrough about UniFab Anime Model, check out this YouTube video.

Best Software to Upscale Anime to 4K

1. UniFab Video Upscaler AI (Best Overall)

UniFab Video Upscaler AI is a powerful tool to AI upscale anime with remarkable clarity and color. Its specialized Anime Optimized Model can upscale anime to 4K, 8K, or even 16K, restoring fine linework, enriching textures, optimizing colors, and eliminating compression artifacts—while preserving the original anime style and nostalgic feel.

Free Trial: 30-day free trial with full features, no watermark. 

Price: $69.99 (Lifetime Plan)

Supported Platforms: Windows & macOS

UniFab Upscale Anime: Quality & Results

UniFab Anime Upscaler.png
  • Clarity: The 4K-enhanced image is much clearer, with smoother edges around characters and objects, and richer details.
  • Color Performance: The enhanced colors are more uniform, with higher saturation, making the image look more vivid and lifelike.
  • Contrast: The contrast in 4K images is improved, making object outlines more distinct and enhancing the sense of depth.
  • Sharpness: The edges of objects are sharper, with reduced image noise, resulting in less graininess.

Upscale Anime to 4K with UniFab AI

Anime Optimized model tailored for anime-style content
Retains original anime style while enhancing detail and color
30-day free trial with full features, no watermark!

UniFab Video Upscaler AI

2. AVCLabs Video Enhancer AI 

AVCLabs Video Enhancer AI uses neural networks to upscale anime to 4K with sharpness and detail. It effectively enhances resolution, restores clarity, and brings vibrant color and depth to your favorite anime scenes.

Price: $39.95/month, $119.95/year, and $299.90/one-time purchase

Supported Platforms: Windows & macOS

AVCLabs Upscale Anime: Quality & Results

UniFab 4K processing effect for animation video
  • Clarity: The enhanced image has smoother edges and slightly better detail, but some areas, especially in complex scenes, remain blurry.
  • Color Performance: Color richness and saturation are improved, but some areas, like the background, appear too flat, losing depth.
  • Sharpness: While 4K enhances overall sharpness, some details, like character outlines, are overly smoothed, looking unnatural.

Pros

  • +

    Easy user interface for beginners and novices.

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    Utilizes neural networks to enhance resolution.

Cons

  • -

    Visible performance limitations.

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    While upscaling may lose some details of the footage.

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    Slow speed on AMD and Intel GPUs and Apple M1/M2 chips.

3. Topaz Labs Video AI 

Topaz Video Enhance AI is a top-tier desktop tool to upscale anime to 4K with exceptional sharpness and smoothness. It enhances resolution up to 16K, restoring fine details and eliminating compression artifacts, ensuring your anime looks pristine.

Price: US$299

Supported Platforms: Windows & macOS

Topaz Upscale Anime: Quality & Results

UniFab 4K processing effect for animation video
  • Clarity: It improves sharpness with smoother edges, but some complex areas are blurry.
  • Color Performance: Colors are more vibrant and full, but the background lacks depth and appears too smooth.
  • Contrast: Contrast is better, making objects stand out, but some high-contrast areas lose smooth transitions.
  • Sharpness: Overall sharpness is improved, but some details are overly smoothed, making parts look unnatural.

Pros

  • +

    Supports ultra-high resolution upscaling up to 16K.

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    Multi-threaded architecture speeds up previews and exports, improving user experience.

Cons

  • -

    Processing speed is relatively slow.

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    Requires high-end hardware, including powerful CPU and GPU support.

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    The high price point may not be affordable for users with limited budgets.

Best Online Tools to Upscale Anime to 4K

1. CutOut.Pro 

CutOut.Pro is a great online tool to upscale anime to 4K. It enhances video quality by improving resolution, delivering sharper visuals. Perfect for quick, easy anime upscaling without technical expertise.

Price: Free plan available with one credit (one edit). Subscription Plan: US$5.00/month with 40 credits and Pay as You Go: Custom pricing for one-time only service 

Supported Platforms: Web-based tool/Online software. Supports all browsers and devices. 

CutOut.Pro Upscale Anime: Quality & Results

upscale anime to 4k with cutout.pro
  • Clarity: The upscaled video is less clear than the original and exhibits noticeable noise.
  • Color Performance: After upscaling, unnatural color artifacts appear, such as redness around the eyes, green-tinted eyebrows, and overly dark, clumped eyelashes.
  • Detail: The enhancement of the whites of the eyes is excessive, creating a fragmented or shattered glass effect.

Pros

  • +

    AI-based cutout.

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    Clear and straightforward UI.

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    Available online, saving from the hassle of downloading and installing the software.

Cons

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    No option to manually select the resolution.

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    Free preview is limited to 1 second.

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    Downloads in HD requires purchasing credits.

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    Limits the file size up to 2 GB.

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    Supports limited file formats like GIF, MP4, MOV, and WebM

2. TensorPix Online Video Enhancer 

TensorPix Online Video Enhancer is a reliable web-based AI tool to upscale anime videos. It improves low-resolution, blurry details and removes artifacts, enhancing multiple videos simultaneously.

Price: Pay As You Go: US$0/month, Standard Plan: US$12/month, Premium Plan: US$27/month, Elite Plan: US$66/month, and Enterprise: Custom pricing 

Supported Platforms: Web-based (online) tool. Supports all browsers and devices.

TensorPix Upscale Anime: Quality & Results

upscale anime to 4k with tensorpix
  • Clarity: Improved compared to the original video, but it does not fully achieve true 4K quality.
  • Details: Hair strand details are well preserved; however, the eyelashes appear as a solid black mass, which looks unnatural.

Pros

  • +

    User-friendly interface to improve video projects.

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    Reduces blurriness, restoring original details.

Cons

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    Unrealistic outcomes with exaggerated effects during the upscale.

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    The Pay As You Go plan supports limited features.

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    Does not fully comprehend the creativity and emotions resulting in oversaturated colors.

3. Media.io AI Video Enhancer 

Media.io AI Video Enhancer is also capable AI upscale anime online tool for enhancing and upscale your videos. It can breathe new life into your video, resulting in impressive qualities and visually appealing anime videos. 

Media.io AI Video Enhancer

Price: Free account: US$0, Monthly Plan: US$17.90, Pay As You Go Plan: US$59.90

Supported Platforms: Web-based (online) tool. Supports all browsers and devices. 

Pros

  • +

    Easily converts your videos into numerous formats.

Cons

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    Slow processing speed occasionally.

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    Limited free trial features.

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    It does not have advanced editing options.

Best Apps to Upscale Anime to 4K

1. AI Video Enhancer - HiQuality 

AI Video Enhancer - HiQuality is a professional video quality enhancer that enhances upscale animevideos and images with a single tap. It uses advanced AI algorithms to make your videos clearer with AI Video Enhancer - HiQuality on Android and iOS devices. Besides upcaling anime videos, you can enhance selfies, 2D and 3D cartoons, black and white movies, or any video downloaded from social sites.  

AI Video Enhancer - HiQuality

Price: Free app (offers in-app purchases, i.e., 30 Pro cards at US$4.99, 70 Pro cards at US$9.99, 150 Pro cards at US$14.99, and 240 Pro cards at US$19.99)

Supported Platforms: Android, iOS and Mac devices 

Pros

  • +

    Works seamlessly on Android and iOS devices.

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    Uses advanced algorithms to enhance videos of all genres.

Cons

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    The final outcome is inconsistent.

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    Scam to purchase credits.

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    It does not work on longer videos.

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    It takes too long to enhance even short video clips.

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    Requires iOS 12.0 or later and macOS 11.0 or higher to work

2. PowerDirector 

Cyberlink PowerDirector is another experienced professional video editing app that makes and edits videos. It can AI upscale anime videos to captivate viewers with stunning visual effects. Its Anime Effect feature cartoonizes your clips in a single click to instantly transform your content into a work of art. 

PowerDirector

Price: Free app (offers in-app purchases), Monthly Subscription at US$5.99, Quarterly Subscription at US$9.99, and Yearly Subscription at US$34.99

Supported Platforms: Android, iOS, Mac computers and Apple Vision 

Pros

  • +

    High processing power with ease of use for advanced users

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    Readily available templates like text animations.

Cons

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    Slow and resource-intensive with a steep learning curve for beginners.

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    Requires iOS 13.0 or later, macOS 11.0 or later, and VisionOS 1.0 or later to work.

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    Occasional bugs cause delays and lags in processing video clips.

3. Splice 

Splice is also an excellent app to upscale anime to 4K. It can trim clips, add music, adjust speed, and create beautiful movies and slideshows for your videos. Its simple and clear UI helps beginners edit videos, add tile slides, and use text overlays to cartoonize their videos. You can choose your transition style and control the speed between transitions. 

Price: Free app (offers in-app purchases)

Supported Platforms: Android and iOS devices

Pros

  • +

    Easy to use for beginners and novices.

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    Supports basic editing features like trimming, cutting, and effects.

Cons

  • -

    Requires iOS 12.2 or later and VisionOS 1.0 or later to work.

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    The app size is too large (269.9 MB).

Comparison: Native 4K vs AI-Upscaled Anime

When talking about 4K anime, it’s important to distinguish between native 4K productions and AI-upscaled 4K restorations.

Native 4K Anime

Definition: Anime created and rendered directly in 4K resolution during production.

Characteristics:

  • Ultra-sharp line art and textures straight from the studio.
  • True-to-intent visuals since the resolution is built into the artwork.
  • Usually limited to modern titles, as producing in native 4K requires higher budgets and resources.

Limitations:

  • Rare in the industry due to cost and time constraints.
  • Older anime can never be “native 4K” because the source material was not produced at that resolution.

AI-Upscaled 4K Anime

Definition: Older or lower-resolution anime (480p, 720p, 1080p) that has been enhanced using AI upscale anime tools.

Characteristics:

  • Deep learning models predict missing details, sharpen outlines, and boost colors.
  • Removes artifacts caused by DVD compression or digital aging.
  • Makes SD or HD anime look close to native 4K quality on modern screens.

Limitations:

Results depend on the source quality—extremely poor footage may still look artificial.

In some cases, over-enhancement can lead to unnatural textures if the AI is not anime-specific.

Key Takeaway

  • Native 4K will always be the gold standard for anime quality since it reflects the creators’ original resolution.
  • But for the vast library of older titles, AI upscaling is the only way to bridge the gap—delivering dramatic improvements that make classics enjoyable again on today’s 4K TVs, monitors, and streaming platforms.

Conclusion

Upscaling anime videos with AI tools is a great idea, as deep learning algorithms not only enhance the videos but also upscale anime by filling in the missing pixels. AI upscale anime tools improve your video quality and resolutions and reduce the shaky effect or motion blur. It saves you a lot of time when getting visually appealing videos. UniFab AI Video Enhancer is an excellent tool to upscale anime to 4K and enhance all other types of videos with GPU acceleration technology. 

FAQs about AI Upscale Anime

Can you upscale anime?

Yes. You can upscale anime with the right tools and techniques. Using reliable software like UniFab Video Upscaler AI, you can upscale any type of video, including anime videos, and enhance the overall quality. 

What is the best AI anime upscale tool for Windows?

UniFab Video Upscaler AI is the best AI anime upscale tool for enhancing and upscaling anime videos on Windows. It uses AI technology to enhance your video quality regardless of its type. It analyzes the video pixels and enlarges them losslessly. 

How can I upscale anime to 4K with online tools?

With online tools, you can easily upscale anime to 4Kin a few clicks. Many tools are available to help you upscale and process the video online. Here's an article on how to use Fotor Video Enhancer to enhance your videos online.

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Echo
As an avid enthusiast of software testing, AI, and tech, I bring a fervent zeal for precision and innovation to my editorials. With a love for ping pong and badminton, and a passion for exploring new horizons through travel, I live by the maxim "Done is good." My articles aim to serve as your trusty compass in the fast-evolving tech landscape.