WorkInProcess is a free browser-based image studio that processes everything locally on your device. No file uploads, no accounts, no tracking. The tool appeared on Hacker News on June 1, 2026, offering a full suite of AI-powered image operations directly in a browser tab.

What Happened

WorkInProcess launched as a privacy-first alternative to cloud-based image editors. Every operation runs in WebAssembly inside your browser: background removal, object erasure, AI upscaling, compression, palette extraction, and EXIF metadata stripping. No server receives your images at any point in the process.

The AI upscaling feature is powered by Swin2SR, a transformer-based super-resolution model trained on real-world image degradation. Running a model of this caliber in-browser without a Python backend is a meaningful technical step for browser-native creative tools.

Why It Matters

Cloud image tools upload every file to third-party servers, creating potential privacy and IP concerns for creators handling unreleased product shots, client assets, or personal photography. WorkInProcess keeps every pixel on your machine: the AI models download from Hugging Face into your browser cache on first use, then run entirely client-side on subsequent visits with no network calls.

For quick one-off edits, launching ComfyUI or a Python environment is overkill. WorkInProcess fills that gap, particularly for background removal and AI upscaling tasks that would otherwise require a cloud subscription or a local setup.

Key Details

  • AI upscale: Swin2SR model, up to 4x resolution, runs locally in browser
  • Background removal: automatic subject isolation without manual masking
  • Object removal: brush-to-erase with inpainting fill
  • Batch image compression: compress multiple files, download as ZIP
  • EXIF and GPS metadata stripping: remove location and camera data before sharing
  • 15+ creative effects and adjustments: resize, crop, rotate, flip, filters
  • Palette extraction: pull color swatches as downloadable files
  • Price: Free

The tool requires WebAssembly support, available in all modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge). First-time AI operations pause briefly while the model downloads and caches to local storage.

What to Do Next

Try WorkInProcess at workinprocess.app. The AI upscale tool is the most immediately useful starting point: drag in a low-resolution image and get a 4x version without any local setup or subscription. Use the EXIF stripper before posting client previews to social media, and the object removal brush for quick cleanups that would otherwise require Photoshop.