Upscale a video

Last updated: October 12, 2026

Make a video larger and sharper when it is too small for where it has to go, such as a trailer, a store page or a large screen.

Before you start

  • The clip is in a session, or in your library ready to add to one.
  • Each run costs Creative Units, charged by the second of video; the Upscale button shows the rate before you run it.

Steps

  1. In the session, press ⌘K (Ctrl+K on Windows) and choose Add asset….

  2. Select the clip, then click Select 1 asset. It lands on the board.

  3. Hover the clip on the board and click View to open it full-size. The viewer shows the file's details on the left, including its resolution, and the Actions panel on the right.

  4. In the Actions panel, under Tools, click Upscale video. Pick a factor under Upscale, such as 2× or 4×. Where the model offers it, Target frame rate sets the frame rate of the result.

  5. Click Upscale.

  6. Wait while it runs. The viewer stays open, and the new version appears beside the original.

Result

The upscaled clip opens in the viewer as a new MP4 at the larger size; the details panel shows its new resolution. It keeps the original's length and motion. The original is unchanged: both sit in the strip on the left of the viewer, newest first, so you can switch between them and compare detail. The new file is also added to the session's board.

Production tips

  • Upscale last. Reframe, extend and edit at the working size, then upscale the cut you will ship, so the upscale runs once, on the final version.
  • Pick the model for the footage. The model menu at the top of the tool lists Topaz's video upscalers among others. Topaz Proteus stays faithful to the source and suits game capture; Topaz Gaia CG is built for rendered and animated footage, keeping clean lines and flat colour. Models differ in the factors they offer and whether they take a prompt describing the detail to add.
  • Raise the frame rate in the same run. A clip generated at a low frame rate can come out smoother: set Target frame rate where the model offers it. The 1× factor changes the frame rate only and keeps the size.
  • Trim before you upscale. You pay by the second, so cut the clip to the part you will use first.
  • Download it without a second encode. Download under Export saves the file exactly as the model delivered it. In Download as..., leave Compression and Codec unset to keep that encoding, or export a PNG Sequence for an editor or engine that wants frames. See Download and export your assets.
  • Doing a batch? Build it into a workflow: put Trim Video (under Utilities) first if you only need part of each clip, then Upscale Video (under Editors), connected to its Video input, with the size under Target. Every clip comes out at the same size and treatment. See Edit videos in a workflow.

If something goes wrong

  • The result looks over-sharpened or waxy. Use a smaller factor, or try another model from the model menu; a model built for rendered footage treats game art differently from one built for camera footage.
  • The factor you need is not listed. The factors depend on the model. Pick another model, or upscale the result a second time.
  • The run was refused or failed. The new version shows the failure in the strip. A refusal for content comes from the model's provider checking the frames; see Your prompt or image was blocked. For anything else, try again, then another model; see Fix a failed or stuck generation.
  • You are out of Creative Units. The run will not start. Top up from your workspace's billing settings, or ask a workspace admin.

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