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Upload a file or pick a sample from the sidebar. The image appears in the bordered preview with generous padding.
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Shadows
Precisely balance the dark areas of your photos—deepen shadows for drama or lift them for more detail.
Free · private · in-browser
Shadows that stay in the shadows—lift detail or add drama locally
A luminance-masked pixel pass targets darker tones while highlights stay stable: drag −100 to deepen or +100 to lift, compare with Show Original, then export PNG.
Because CSS has no dedicated shadow control, we blend a weighted lift on low luminance—similar in spirit to pro shadow sliders—so underexposed scenes open up without blowing skies.
How to use Shadows
Set Shadows Level
Once the slider unlocks, drag left to deepen dark tones or right to lift them. The default starts at 16 for a subtle open-shadow starting point.
Download
When Show Edited matches your intent, tap Download to save PNG at full resolution.
Supported file formats
Open these types in the workspace. Download saves your adjusted view as PNG at source resolution.
- PNG
- JPEG / JPG
- WebP
Key features
Masked shadow adjustment, live compare, sidebar samples, private PNG export.
Shadows Level −100 to +100
Negative deepens darker tones; positive lifts them. The mask falls off as luminance rises so bright areas barely move.
Show Original / Show Edited
Instant A/B against untouched pixels to judge noise, skin, and sky before you commit.
Sample thumbnails
Same sidebar row as Blur: tap a thumbnail to load a demo image onto the canvas immediately.
Crisp canvas frame
Pure white stage, 1px border, and subtle grid cues aligned with Blur, Saturation, and Lighten.
PNG download
Exports the same shadow math as your slider at full resolution—even if you were viewing the original.
Private processing
Pixels stay on your device until you download or share them yourself.
Common use cases
Backlit subjects & silhouettes
Lift shadows gently to recover faces and fabric detail when the background was much brighter than the subject.
Moody contrast & low-key looks
Push negative values to deepen shadow regions for cinematic drama before sharing or printing.
Phone shots in mixed light
Small positive moves (try near the default) often tame muddy shadow blocks without re-touching highlights.
Prep before curves elsewhere
Normalize shadow depth here, then refine midtones or color in another editor with a cleaner base.
Pro tips
- When to lift shadows: start near the default (16) on underexposed JPEGs, then nudge up until texture returns—stop if noise becomes distracting.
- Recovering detail in dark areas: pair small positive moves with Show Original; if highlights bloom, your file may need exposure recovery in RAW first.
- For dramatic portraits, try slight negative values to deepen eye sockets and backgrounds without crushing blacks.
- Heavy negative shadow pulls can hide noise in shadows but also lose separation—compare often on faces and hair edges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lift when important detail sits in darker regions—faces in shade, interiors, or foreground subjects against bright skies—and you want that detail visible without re-shooting.
Move Shadows Level toward +100 gradually while watching Show Original. The tool adds weighted brightness mostly where pixels are already dark, which reveals texture until sensor noise dominates.
Yes. Export runs the same luminance-masked pass on your full-resolution image at the current Shadows Level.
No. Processing stays in your browser until you download or share the file yourself.
It activates only after an image is decoded on the canvas—either from your upload or a sample thumbnail—so controls always match a loaded picture.