SRWE or AI? Best Ways to Upscale Sims 4 Screenshots
Are you also tired of seeing social media mercilessly crush your The Sims 4 screenshots? We’ve tried every trick in the book to keep our pics crisp – SRWE, AI upscalers, you name it – and now we’re ready to break down how to save your favorite sim’s photos from pixelation, quick and easy. In this article, we’ll explain (no tech jargon, promise!) what actually works, plus share our hands-on experience and top tips.
Your upscaling method depends heavily on the source image and the look you’re going for. We all have different ideas of what makes a sims beautiful – some love natural textures, even slight skin imperfections, while others prefer flawlessly smooth, hyper-sharp results.
We’ve tested different upscaling tools to help boost your screenshot quality. But to find your perfect match – the one that makes your shots look just right (by your standards!) – we recommend trying a few yourself.
You can enhance screenshots both before and after saving them! We’ve covered both approaches, so pick whichever suits you best.
Before Saving the Screenshot: SRWE (Simple Runtime Window Editor)
This tool is well-known in The Sims 4 community – there are tons of YouTube tutorials covering it. When it comes to improving image quality before taking a screenshot, SRWE is one of the first solutions that comes to mind.
It works by bypassing Windows' DPI scaling, allowing you to capture screenshots at a higher resolution without blurring.
Pros:
— A fantastic tool: it delivers the exact same image but in much better quality.
— No conflicts with GShade/ReShade: your presets will look exactly as intended.
— Free and easy to install, no hidden costs or complicated setup.
— No post-processing needed, preserves original texture and UI quality.
— No extra plugins or presets required, works right out of the box.
— Great performance even on low-end PCs. If your computer can run GShade, SRWE will work just fine.
Cons:
— Limited functionality.
— Some users find SRWE a bit tricky to set up (though we personally disagree).
Now, let’s break down how to use it and what results to expect.
If you prefer a video guide, check out this link for a detailed walkthrough by Chii.
Step 1
First things first – you'll need to download the program itself. It's available for free on GitHub – you can grab it here.
There's no real benefit to getting the version with pre-configured profiles, so just download the standard version without profiles.
Step 2
Extract the files from the archive.
It doesn’t matter where you store them on your computer – it won’t affect how the program works.
Step 3
Now it’s time to launch the game and switch from fullscreen to windowed mode in the settings. You can also do this with the Alt+Enter shortcut.
Step 4
Set up your shot exactly how you want it. Open the location, pose your sims, apply any presets if needed. At this point, you can take a regular screenshot (for comparison) using your usual method.
Step 5
1. Go back to the SRWE folder.
There are only two files inside – one of them launches the program (no installation needed).
2. In the window that opens, select The Sims 4 from the list.
3. Check all the boxes.
4. Image Size
You can set your screenshot size in a few different ways:
— The easiest method: Multiply your current resolution by the desired factor. For example, to upscale 1080p to 4K, multiply by 2. Tap Set.
— Manual input: Enter your preferred pixel dimensions. Tap Set.
— Aspect ratio mode: Choose a format (1:1, 16:9, 4:3, etc.) and set your target megapixels. The program will automatically calculate the dimensions. Tap Set.
Honestly, you can experiment with any size. During our tests, even a weak PC handled an 8K screenshot without issues – though realistically, 4K is more than enough for most purposes.
Plus, if you're capturing in-game scenes (not just CAS), your screenshots will already be pretty large in file size. You probably won’t want them taking up even more space unnecessarily.
Step 6
Now when you return to the game, you'll notice the image has become significantly larger and no longer fits your screen resolution – you're only seeing a part of it.
Don't panic! Just wait for your preset to fully load (if you're using one), then take your screenshot as you normally would.
Step 7
Once you've captured your planned screenshot, head back to SRWE and click "Fake Fullscreen" to return to the original resolution.
Now let's compare our results.
Gameplay Scenes
CAS
For in-game screenshots, this method works much better if you have at least a moderately powerful PC. After upscaling, navigation can become tricky due to lag. That said, it's still completely doable since we've prepared our scene in advance.
Post-Processing Screenshots
We've tested several post-processing programs: two paid options and several free ones.
Let's start with the paid options – Topaz Gigapixel AI and Let's Enhance.
Topaz Gigapixel AI
A specialized tool from Topaz Labs designed specifically for AI-powered image upscaling.
It doesn’t include extra features like noise reduction or face correction, but it delivers more precise upscaling, which is especially useful for The Sims 4 screenshots.
Pros:
— Upscale up to 600% (6x) without losing detail.
— Preserves texture clarity (hair, clothing, patterns).
— Automatically restores lost details (e.g., small decor items).
— Supports batch processing (multiple screenshots at once).
Cons:
— $99 price tag.
— Requires a powerful PC for 4K upscaling.
— Limited functionality (just upscaling, no additional edits).
— Trial version doesn’t allow exports.
Example:
Let's Enhance
A convenient online AI-powered tool for enhancing screenshots. No downloads required – just head to https://letsenhance.io/boost and you're good to go.
Pros:
— Automatic upscaling up to 16K, boosts resolution without losing detail (hair and clothing textures become sharper).
— Dead simple to use: just upload your screenshot, pick a model, and download the result.
— AI doesn't just upscale, it subtly "beautifies" images too (though this is subjective, of course).
Cons:
— Free version limits you to 10 images/month (watermarked downloads; subscription starts at $9/month).
— Internet connection required (no offline mode).
We found these settings work best for Sims screenshots:
Now, let's see the results:
Free Upscaling Tools: Upscayl (with detailed usage guide), Bigjpg, and Waifu2x.
Bigjpg
A handy tool for basic image upscaling tasks, though the free version has limitations on processing speed and number of images.
Pros:
— Solid baseline results: boosts resolution effectively, making images noticeably sharper with genuine quality improvement.
— Free 2x/4x upscaling with watermark-free downloads.
Cons:
— Free version restricts image quantity, size, and processing speed.
— Lacks advanced parameter fine-tuning.
Our recommended settings combo:
The 4x upscale delivers noticeably weaker results.
Sample Bigjpg output:
Waifu2x
A free neural network-based tool. Originally created for upscaling anime images, but works perfectly for The Sims 4 as well.
Pros:
— Upscales images 1.5x–2x without noticeable distortion.
— Preserves art style, doesn't turn pixel art into a "blurry mess" (unlike some other upscalers).
— Available in both online and offline versions.
— Offline version supports batch processing of screenshots.
— Free 2x upscaling with no watermarks.
— No powerful PC required.
Cons:
— Free online version has a 5MB file size limit.
— Maximum 2x scale (no higher options).
— Lacks advanced parameter tuning.
Our recommended settings:
Waifu2x results:
Upscayl
A free, open-source program that uses neural networks to upscale images without quality loss.
Pros:
— Upscales images without distortion.
— Enhances fine details.
— Supports multiple AI models for different screenshot styles.
— Offline version handles batch processing.
— Free 4x upscaling with no watermarks.
— Doesn't require a powerful PC for 2x upscaling.
— Works offline, no internet needed after installation.
Cons:
— Requires a powerful PC for 4x upscaling.
— Minimalist interface – fewer beginner-friendly guides.
— Lacks advanced parameter tuning.
Given Upscayl's minimalist interface and lack of detailed tutorials, we decided to provide a more thorough walkthrough.
Step 1
First, download the program from its GitHub page. It's completely free and open-source.
Multiple versions are available – choose the one matching your system. For standard Windows, download the file highlighted in the screenshot below.
Step 2
Run the installer as administrator.
Install location doesn't matter – it won't affect performance. Select the destination folder. Click "Install".
Step 3
Upscayl includes several built-in AI models (good for testing), but we strongly recommend downloading custom models for better results:
1. Download the custom models pack here (also accessible via Settings → Add Custom Models in-app).
2. Extract the archive.
3. Navigate to custom-models-main → custom-models-main.
Move this folder to your Upscayl installation directory (optional: rename it).
Your Upscayl folder should now look like this:
4. Add Custom Models:
— Launch Upscayl.
— Go to Settings and click Select Folder.
— Navigate to Upscayl → custom-models-main → models
Critical: The folder must be named "models" – don't rename it.
Step 4
Now that you have both the default and custom models loaded, it's time to start enhancing your screenshots.
1. Click Select Image or simply drag and drop your file into the processing area.
2. Choose Upscale Factor.
While Upscayl supports up to 16x magnification, it warns that anything above 5x may severely strain your system.
For optimal results, stick with 2x to 4x.
3. Select AI Model.
Click the Select AI Model dropdown: default models show before/after previews, custom models appear as a text list.
4. Experiment! Try different models on the same screenshot. Test various scales (2x, 3x, 4x) – sometimes better results come from modest scaling, while 4x might degrade quality.
For this demo, we'll use the first default model.
5. Click to begin enhancement.
6. Processing time duration depends on original image quality, selected parameters and your PC's power (may complete quickly or take several minutes).
After processing, you'll see a clear side-by-side comparison of the changes:
7. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) for advanced viewing options.
Magnifying lens compares original vs. enhanced versions side-by-side.
Also you may reset to original and revert all changes instantly.
8. Save your image.
By default, Upscayl saves to the source image's folder. To change this click Set Output Folder.
9. After this, use the Ctrl+S keyboard shortcut, and the new image will be saved. The original filename will be appended with the name of the AI model used and the upscaling scale applied.
You can also use batch processing. Before loading images, you simply need to enable batch loading.
In the settings, there are different format options for saving processed images: PNG, JPG, WEBP. To preserve the best quality, we recommend choosing PNG.
Finally, we're sharing the AI model options we liked best for processing Sims screenshots:
— Remacri (default model)
— Uniscale Restore (custom model)
— Unknown-2.0.1 (custom model)
