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Adobe’s 2023 Project Res Up was an experimental preview, not a released consumer tool. Adobe’s later Firefly video-upscaling workflow uses Topaz Astra and offers 1080p or 4K output. The two are related in purpose, but they are not the same product. GIFs were reportedly shown in the 2023 demonstration; Adobe’s official descriptions reviewed here confirm video upscaling, not GIF support.

What Adobe showed in 2023

Adobe Research presented Project Res Up at MAX 2023 as an AI video-upscaling concept. Adobe described it as using diffusion-based technology to convert low-resolution video to higher-resolution video, with the goal of retaining visual detail and consistency across frames. The proposed use included improving older or blurry footage, and the demonstration allowed users to upscale a clip directly or zoom and crop it before upscaling.

That description came from Adobe Research’s Project Res Up overview and Adobe’s 2023 Sneaks materials. They describe a preview, not a 2023 product launch or a generally available app.

What about GIFs?

A NewsBytes report dated October 11, 2023 said GIFs appeared among the media in the demonstration. That is a secondary report: the Adobe Research and Sneaks descriptions cited above call Res Up a video-upscaling tool and do not confirm GIF support. It should not be taken as evidence that Firefly’s current upscaler accepts GIF files.

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How the 2023 preview differs from Firefly’s current workflow

Question Project Res Up (2023 preview) Firefly video upscaling
Status Adobe Research experimental preview; no released consumer workflow is established in the Adobe descriptions. Adobe’s current Firefly page documents an available video-upscaling workflow using Topaz Astra.
Media Adobe describes video. GIFs were reported in the demonstration by NewsBytes; Adobe’s descriptions do not confirm GIF support. Video workflow. The page’s upload widget specifies MP4; GIF support is not stated there.
Output Adobe describes conversion from low to high resolution; a specific output resolution is not stated in the cited descriptions. Selectable 1080p or 4K output, according to Adobe’s current Firefly page.
Controls Adobe describes direct upscaling and a zoom-and-crop-then-upscale approach. Precise and Creative modes, plus a setting that balances speed and detail.
Where it fits Research preview shown at MAX 2023. Firefly Edit Video workspace or Firefly Boards, with the upscaled result available for continued editing or download.

How to upscale a video in Firefly

Adobe’s current Firefly page directs users to either Edit Video or Firefly Boards. The page’s upload widget specifies MP4 files under 200 MB and 5–20 seconds. Those are the limits shown by that widget, not universal limits for every Firefly or standalone Topaz workflow.

  1. Open Firefly’s Edit Video workspace or Firefly Boards.
  2. Add a video using the upload control. For the page’s stated widget, use an MP4 under 200 MB and 5–20 seconds.
  3. Choose an upscale mode: Precise or Creative.
  4. Select an output resolution, 1080p or 4K, and adjust the speed-versus-detail setting.
  5. Generate the upscaled MP4. Continue editing in the workflow or download the result.

Adobe presents Precise and Creative as different modes, but its page does not establish that either will consistently preserve an original better for every source clip. The 4K option is an output choice, not proof that the input contained 4K-level detail.

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What Topaz Astra and Adobe’s acquisition mean

In December 2025, Adobe announced that Topaz Astra video-upscaling capabilities were being added to Firefly Boards, describing the feature for low-resolution clips and older or low-quality footage, with output up to 1080p or 4K. Adobe’s current Firefly page identifies Topaz Astra as the technology used for its video upscaling.

Adobe announced completion of its acquisition of Topaz Labs on September 23, 2026. Adobe said the Topaz Labs brand would remain and its apps and models would continue to be available as standalone products. Adobe also said Topaz technology was available in Firefly and Photoshop, while describing further integration into existing workflows as forthcoming. That does not mean every planned integration is already available.

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What AI upscaling can—and cannot—tell you

Upscaling creates a larger output from a smaller source; it cannot recover information that the original recording never captured with certainty. AI systems may infer or add detail, so the visual result can differ from the source rather than simply revealing hidden, accurate detail. Adobe describes its modes and intended uses, but the cited materials do not provide an independent quality comparison or performance statistic. For archival footage, inspect the generated result for invented textures, faces, text, flicker, or other changes before treating it as a faithful restoration.

Adobe’s Firefly video-upscaling feature is the practical current answer for users looking to enlarge a video inside Adobe’s workflow. Project Res Up remains relevant as an early research preview; the GIF element belongs to secondary reporting about its demonstration, not a confirmed capability of the current Firefly tool.

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