Top 13 Tools to Improve Video Quality

Before you decide to improve the quality of your video, you should be aware that multiple reasons can make your video look bad. Is it just the color, contrast, darkness or saturation? For this kind of problems, you will find tons of online video editing tools. Has your video a low resolution and you want to increase it? Then you need a special video enhancer that uses AI to add all the details that make videos look sharp. In any case, on this page you will learn which tools to use to improve video quality, both with and without AI.

The Best Software to Sharpen and Improve Videos

Some of the tools to improve videos are online applications, so that you do not need to install software on your PC. In return, you will depend on a stable internet connection while the video improvement process. The other tools are software applications that need to be installed on your PC. They will need much PC power because videos often consist of thousands of frames that have to be optimized. The positive aspect of software is that you are independent from the internet.

Some of the applications presented here can be described as video editors with many features to make your videos look better. Often they can be used to change brightness, contrast, color, or add some filters. In some cases, that is not sufficient to improve a video because it is blurry or the resolution is low, especially if the video was made several years ago. In this case, the missing details need to be added by an AI that knows what high-quality videos should look like. 

The last important aspects of video improvement applications is the payment. Online tools are available as a monthly or yearly subscription often combined with buying credits. You cannot exceed the credits that you have bought for a month. Each manufacturer has their own criteria how to define a credit. Often the amount of credits depends on the video length or whether you improve resolution or something else. Regarding software applications, you can pay for it once and optimize as many videos as you like.

1. Audials Vision (software)

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2. DVDFab Video Enhancer AI (software)

Blurred and unclear videos can also be enhanced using DVDFab Video Enhancer AI on Windows. Video Enhancer AI is powered by Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning, capable of sharpening videos and upscaling resolution to 4K.

To start the enhancement process, add the video to Video Enhancer AI and choose the AI model that fits the video type. Models are specialized for movies or animations. Configure output format (MP4/MKV), resolution, and bitrate. Preview the changes and start the process.

Less practical about this tool is that you can select only one enhancement at a time. For instance, improving video quality and denoising require separate runs. Notably absent are other useful enhancements like adding frames for smoother motion.

The software was renamed in UniFab Video Enlarger AI.

3. AVAide Video Converter (software)

1. With the AVAide Video Converter for Windows or Mac, you can convert videos to different formats, edit video content, and improve video quality. AVAide uses Artificial Intelligence for sharpening.

To start optimizing, open the Video Enhancer in the Toolbox. In the next menu, select Upscale Resolution. You can also enhance brightness and contrast, remove jitters and background noise. Once AVAide completes the process, you can choose the output location.

Please note: After installation, you will have Tipard Video Converter Ultimate on your PC, which looks the same as the software shown on the AVAide website. A software with the same interface is also available under the name AnyMP4 Video Converter Ultimate.

4. AVS Video Editor (software)

AVS Video Editor is comprehensive video editing software for Windows PCs to improve video quality. It allows you to capture screen recordings, speed up or slow down videos, and perform cutting. You can add various effects to your video, such as color changes, snow, vintage film, sepia, and reversal. Among these effects is the sharpening effect.

You can enhance video quality by loading it into AVS Video Editor and adding it to the timeline. Under Video Effects -> Effects, choose the sharpening effect and place it in the first row below the timeline. Then create the video by selecting the output format. 

AVS Video Editor does not utilize Artificial Intelligence, which means artifacts may appear due to post-sharpening. The video resolution remains unchanged.

5. iMyFone UltraRepair (software)

iMyFone UltraRepair for Windows or Mac optimizes images, audio, videos, and other files. Blurry photos, videos, or damaged PDF/Word files can be repaired with UltraRepair and a better video quality achieved.

Open the software, choose Video Repair, and upload the video. No further settings are necessary. After a while, the process is completed.

UltraRepair can convert videos and images to other formats. Images are sharpened, colorized, enlarged, and restored using AI. However, UltraRepair seems not to use AI to improve videos, as no AI models are available and no mention of it is found on their product page.

6. Cutout.pro (online)

7. Clideo (online)

Clideo is an online video enhancer to improve videos fast and easily. You only need to upload your video from your local PC storage or the cloud, then select the needed filters and to download the final video. With Clideo, you can improve the video quality by optimizing the contrast, saturation, brightness or add a vignette. Clideo also has extended editing options like cutting, merging, cropping, adding music, compressing and many more. You can improve video quality for free with Clideo, then your videos will have watermarks and you will have limited storage time. 
The only problem for Clideo is that it lacks the option to improve video quality with artificial intelligence. That means that some video issues like low resolution or stuttering will not be solved.

8. Kapwing (online)

Kapwing, as an AI-powered video editing platform, offers several features specifically aimed at improving video quality. However, it's important to note that Kapwing's focus is more on the editing and creative aspects of video production rather than purely on quality enhancement. That means that Kapwing provides you the AI for more purposes than only for increasing the video resolution: Create a transcript of your video, create synchronized subtitles, remove background noise from audio, adjust the video size, cut videos and make the length of your audio track suitable for the video; improve contrast, brightness, saturation. You can get the Kapwing features with a subscription for at least $16 per month.

9. Fotor

Fotor is a comprehensive online AI video enhancement application that improves both photos and videos. On the Fotor website, you will find numerous individual tools to enhance the quality of your videos. To increase video sharpness, there is the AI Video Enhancer, but there is also a tool to remove backgrounds. The other tools are intended for photos.

With the AI Video Enhancer, you automatically improve your video material without needing to make specific settings, and you get the final result in MP4, WEBM, or MOV. This simplicity has the disadvantage that you cannot influence the outcome if you want to optimize your video in a very specific way, for example, doubling the resolution. Fotor supports up to HD resolution, which means your video will appear sharper, but the resolution cannot be increased.

Those who wish to enhance private videos might hesitate to upload them to a website, as it is uncertain what might happen to the video or whether privacy is assured. Moreover, video processing depends on the internet connection.

Full feature access is available with a subscription costing about 3 or just over 7 US dollars per month.

9. Flixier (online)

Flixier is a similar online tool to improve videos, create videos and edit videos without installing a software on your PC. It works in the already described manner "upload video - improve video - download your edited video". With Flixier, you can optimize the brightness, contrast, saturation, improve the gamma, add filters, but also add subtitles, cut and crop, add text, add audio or images to your video. 
However, one of the limitations of Flixier Free is that you are allowed to export only ten minutes of video footage per month. For $14 monthly, 300 minutes are allowed, but that could be too short in case you need to edit several movies.

10. HDconvert.com (online)

HDconvert is a combination of video converter and video quality improvement tool that can be used on the web. That means that you can convert the resolution and file format in one step. HDconvert upscales low-resolution vidoes up to HD 720p without AI for free. If you want to get FullHD 1080p or even 4K, you will need to pay. This online tool supports the MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI and other common video output formats. HDconvert will be a good tool if you really need the resolution improvement and conversion only. If someday you miss a feature, you will need to look for further video editors.

11. Media.io (online)

Media.io is a tool to improve video quality online with AI. You will get a video output with a 4K resolution. According to the media.io website, the application works for anime, AI generated footage, old videos, and films.

12. Android App Sharpen Video

Improving video quality isn't limited to PCs; there's also the Android app Sharpen Video by Birdinox. You can enhance and improve videos filmed on your smartphone by opening the app, loading the video, and adjusting the desired percentage.

Developers recommend setting it to a maximum of 20% to avoid unwanted artifacts. It is not sure whether AI is applied here.

The Best Video Quality Improvement Apps

In the following overview, you can compare the features of the AI video quality optimizers described on this page: 

Conclusion: Audials Vision is the best tool to improve video quality

Many tools make you dependent on the internet connection because you are forced to upload them to an online video enhancer. Sometimes the upload file size is limited. While you have to pay monthly or annually for such online enhancers, it is cheaper to buy a software and to improve as many videos as you like.

Audials Vision has anything that you need to turn a blurry video with slow resolution into a high-quality masterpiece. Insert frames to make your videos smoother, create a silky-smooth slow-motion or improve colors to watch the video on your HDR TV. Use the editor for cutting and cropping.

Improve videos as often as you like with Audials Vision and enjoy them on large screens

What makes Artificial Intelligence so appealing for enhancing video quality?

Until now, video software could only provide limited improvement to video quality. When a video is blurry, it lacks the necessary pixel information for higher resolutions on larger screens. Previous methods allowed only slight sharpening, but restoring missing information in poor videos requires AI. AI has learned how high-quality videos appear and fills in the missing information, enabling you to view your video in high resolution even on large screens.

Why is my video blurry and unclear?

When capturing video with a camera or mobile device, numerous factors can affect video quality:

• The camera may not be focused on the subject.
• Camera or subject movement during recording can cause motion blur. Unsteady camera handling leads to shaky videos.
• Adequate lighting is crucial for optimal visibility in videos. Insufficient light can compromise video quality.
• The lens might be dirty or damaged.
• Technical limitations of the recording device could hinder quality.

Creating or recording videos from a PC screen can also result in blurriness due to various factors:

• The chosen resolution might not suffice for clear display on your screen or device.
• The recording software used may not support high quality.
• A low frame rate setting can lead to choppy motion.
• Over-compression post-recording can degrade video quality.
• The quality and size of the monitor used for recording might be inadequate.
• Incorrect video format settings could be applied. Recommended formats include MP4 or H.264 for broad compatibility and superior quality.
• Recording software settings like bitrate may need adjustment.

How can I improve video quality?

Getting better video quality without AI

Improving video quality doesn't stop at the filming stage; post-production plays a crucial role in elevating your footage to the next level. By utilizing video editing software without AI, you can significantly enhance contrast, colors, and lighting, ensuring your final product boasts the better video quality you're aiming for. Here's how:

1. Enhancing Contrast in Post-Production
Once your footage is in the editing suite, one of the first steps to improve video quality is adjusting the contrast levels. Most video editing software offers tools like contrast sliders, curves, or levels adjustments. By fine-tuning these settings, you can deepen the blacks and brighten the whites in your footage, making your images pop and adding depth that wasn't there before. Be mindful not to overdo it, as too much contrast can lead to loss of detail in shadows and highlights.

2. Color Grading for Better Video Quality
Color grading is an essential step in post-production to enhance or alter the mood of your footage. Use your editing software's color correction tools to adjust the saturation, hue, and luminance of specific colors. Look for color grading presets or LUTs (Look-Up Tables) that can serve as a good starting point, but always customize them to fit your specific footage. Subtle adjustments can lead to a more vibrant and visually appealing video, enhancing the overall viewer experience.

3. Adjusting Lighting in Post-Production
Even with the best on-set lighting, some scenes might need a little extra work in post to achieve the desired look. Use your video editing software's brightness and exposure tools to adjust the overall lighting of your footage. Highlights and shadows can also be tweaked to recover details that may appear lost. If some areas of your footage are too dark or too bright, many advanced editing suites offer localized correction tools, such as masks or vignettes, to target specific parts of your image.

By carefully adjusting contrast, colors, and lighting in post-production, you can dramatically improve the quality of your videos. These enhancements can bring out the details, depth, and vibrancy that make your content stand out. Remember, the key to better video quality in post-production is subtlety; it's about enhancing what's already there, not overhauling your footage entirely. With practice and a keen eye for detail, you can master these post-production techniques to consistently produce high-quality videos.

Achieving better video quality with AI

Artificial Intelligence makes possible what was unthinkable for many years: It can restore higher video quality to low-resolution, blurry video footage by, for example, increasing the resolution and adding details. Because if you give AI enough video material, it can learn from it what higher quality videos look like and accordingly improve poor-quality videos.

1. AI Upscaling
AI upscaling tools can transform standard definition video into higher resolution content. These tools analyze your footage and intelligently fill in details, enhancing clarity and resolution for better video quality.

2. Noise Reduction
AI-powered noise reduction software can identify and eliminate unwanted grain and artifacts from your videos, resulting in cleaner and higher quality visuals.

3. Frame Rate Conversion
AI can also be used to increase the frame rate of your video, making motion appear smoother and more natural, which contributes to the overall perception of better video quality.

4. Automated Editing
Some AI tools offer automated editing features, such as optimal color grading, exposure adjustments, and even shot selection, to enhance the quality of your video without manual intervention.

5. Content-Aware Scaling
AI technologies can smartly scale your video content, ensuring that key subjects in your footage are preserved and enhanced, leading to better video quality even when adjusting aspect ratios or zooming.
 

For mildly blurry videos, basic video software with sharpening options might suffice. However, optimal results come from AI-powered software, which has learned to add details to the video for higher resolution and clarity. When using AI, remember that a video comprises thousands of frames, which can extend the optimization process to several hours. Software that improves video quality using AI is referred to as an AI Video Enhancer or AI Video Upscaler.

How can I get better video quality already during production?

If you are a professional video maker, you can do a lot to provide a better video quality while creating the video. Like this you can avoid a lot work in the post-production.

1. Invest in High-Quality Equipment
The foundation of higher video quality begins with your recording equipment. High-definition cameras and lenses can capture more detail and offer better color accuracy, leading to superior video output.

2. Utilize Proper Lighting
Good lighting is crucial for better video quality. Natural light is preferable, but when it's not available, use high-quality studio lights to eliminate shadows and highlight details in your scenes.

3. Stabilize Your Footage
Shaky videos can degrade the perceived quality of your content. Use tripods, gimbals, or steadicams to stabilize your footage, ensuring smoother and clearer videos.

4. Record at Higher Bitrates
Recording at a higher bitrate allows more data to be captured, resulting in better video quality. Be mindful of your storage space, as higher bitrates will increase file sizes.

5. Edit with Precision
Post-production plays a significant role in achieving better video quality. Use professional editing software to correct colors, adjust brightness and contrast, and sharpen your footage for a polished look.
 

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