Source: https://restorebunny.com/guides/choose-paid-photo-colourisation-version/ # Should You Add Colourisation to a Family Restoration Project? Decide whether interpreted colour belongs in a family restoration purchase. Scope alternate versions and retain monochrome evidence. Family photo projects4 min readUpdated 11 October 2026 ## Try it on your own photo Repair a copy of your photo, then compare faces and details with the original. [Restore my photo]()1 credit per successful photo ยท Account required[See credit packs]() Quick answer ## The short version Buy a colourised version only when an interpreted colour image is part of the family's agreed goal. Repair and colourisation are separate decisions. Keep the monochrome source and an approved non-colourised version where needed; plausible generated colours cannot establish the clothing, skin or room colours that were historically present. ## Define this purchase decision A black-and-white photo can need scratch repair without needing added colours. A relative might want a warmer, more familiar viewing copy while the family historian wants the original tonal character. Decide whether those are two legitimate deliverables before buying attempts. Calling every colourised result the restored original blurs an important distinction. RestoreBunny offers Add Colors as an opt-in during restoration. It is not a historical colour-identification service. For an already coloured but faded print, colour-cast correction is a different repair objective from assigning unknown colours to monochrome areas. Start with the original's character and the intended recipient, not the most vivid sample in a gallery. ## Worked decision example Worked example: twenty monochrome family scans are selected for repair, but only four portraits are requested in colour as optional viewing versions. Twenty successful repair attempts plus four separately generated alternatives create a 24-credit plan before reruns. Choosing Add Colors during an initial run can combine the requested output; this example counts alternatives only because both versions are wanted. A reviewer knows that one uniform was dark blue but cannot identify the tie or wall colour. The acceptance note records the known uniform reference and leaves the other colours interpreted. If the trial generates green fabric, another attempt may be worth considering; a convincing blue output still does not prove every other generated colour. This is a planning scenario, not a verified colourisation result. ## Complete the decision worksheet - State the recipient and purpose of each version: repaired monochrome reference, interpreted colour viewing copy or both. Count only the versions people actually request. - List real colour evidence separately from guesses. A related colour photograph can inform review but does not automatically control the output. - Check faces, existing text, shading and clothing shape before judging the added palette. Reject an identity change even if the colour is pleasing. - Label saved colour versions as interpreted and retain the untouched source. Agree that a failed palette preference may still be a technically successful credit-using output. ## Resolve the buyer objections What if the family disagrees about whether to add colour? Finish the agreed non-colourised copy first, then make the optional interpretation only for those who want it. Avoid a paid batch that changes every monochrome photograph merely to satisfy one person's preference. Disagreement about style is easier to manage when both versions remain clearly identified. Will a colour version print better? More saturation is not proof of print suitability. Review actual dimensions, intended crop and a small proof with the chosen provider. The restoration workflow does not certify a print-ready file or supply a historical colour guarantee. ## Keep a useful decision record A useful colour approval note names the source of each confident claim. For example, a documented surviving garment may support one colour, while a relative's recollection supports another with uncertainty. Do not imply that the AI researched those references or used them as a guaranteed constraint merely because you possess them. Reviewers should evaluate unsupported palette choices as style preferences. If the family's primary use is an evidence record, the interpreted version belongs in a separate presentation folder. If the primary use is a gift, provide both source and interpretation so the recipient can choose. Count the requested deliverables before the trial rather than multiplying versions afterward because each looks interesting. ## Choose the next action Try one representative portrait with the intended setting, compare it with the source and ask the recipient to approve the interpretation. When the source is monochrome and repair is the only goal, keep Add Colors off. Scope alternate versions explicitly before choosing a credit pack. Check current pricing and the displayed per-job charge, then purchase for the agreed work. Save both versions within the image retention window and include a short change note. That note is part of a useful delivery: it helps future relatives understand which appearance came from the photograph and which came from an editorial choice. ## FAQs Is adding colours mandatory for restoration? No. It is an opt-in choice. Keep it off when the wanted result should retain monochrome character. Are generated colours historically verified? No. Treat unsupported colours as interpretation even when they appear natural. Should I count monochrome and colour versions separately? Yes, when you plan separate successful processing attempts. A single combined requested output is not two attempts. ## Sources Preservation and technical guidance reviewed for this article. - RestoreBunny: [Current credit-pack pricing]() - RestoreBunny: [Credits, outputs and privacy FAQ]() - RestoreBunny: [Credit purchase and technical issue policy]() - RestoreBunny: [Image processing and retention policy]() ## Related - [How to Colorize Black and White Photos (Natural Colorization)]() - [How to Restore Sepia Photos While Keeping Their Original Tone]() - [Review supported photo restoration]() - [Start an eligible restoration trial]() - [Check current credit-pack terms]() - [Use the family archive handoff worksheets]() ## Ready to restore your photos? Upload an image, choose your settings, and preview results with a before/after slider. [Restore my photo]()[View Pricing]() RestoreBunny Team Photo workflow editors Guides follow our [editorial policy]() for sourcing, product claims, AI limitations, updates, and corrections.