Make an image black and white
Turn a photo grayscale or pure black and white, or invert its colors, with a live preview
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How making an image black and white works
Making an image black and white removes its colors, keeping either every shade of gray or only pure black and white pixels.
- Choose grayscale, two-tone black and white with an adjustable threshold, or inverted colors; a live preview shows the result.
- The image is sent to our server, converted in memory with the sharp image library and returned to your browser; it is not saved.
Free to use, with no account or sign-up. No watermark or logo is added to your result.
Works everywhere
No ads, no watermarks, no registration. Instant access on mobile or computer, compatible with all major browsers.
Computer
Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge: fully supported.
Mobile
iOS Safari and Android Chrome: optimized experience.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about making an image black and white.
How do I make an image black and white?
Upload the image, choose Grayscale for a classic black and white photo or Black and white for pure two-tone pixels, check the live preview, then download the result.
What is the difference between grayscale and black and white?
Grayscale keeps every shade of gray between black and white, which is what most people call a black and white photo. Black and white mode turns each pixel either pure black or pure white, which suits logos, signatures, scanned text and stencils.
How does the black and white threshold work?
Each pixel whose gray level is at least the threshold turns white, and every darker pixel turns black. The default is 128, the middle of the 0–255 scale. Lower it for a lighter result, raise it for a darker one.
How do I invert the colors of an image?
Choose Invert colors: each color is replaced by its opposite, so black becomes white and blue becomes yellow, like a photo negative. Grayscale + invert gives a black and white negative.
Which formats and file sizes are supported?
JPEG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, TIFF and GIF images up to 10 MB; an animated GIF keeps only its first frame. The result keeps the original format unless you choose another one, and transparent areas stay transparent in every format except JPEG.
Are my images stored?
No. The image is sent to our server, converted in memory for this request and returned to your browser; the tool does not save it. No account is needed.
Keep optimizing your image workflow
Need full image localization? Use the image translator or automate translations with the API. For strategy and best practices, visit the blog or read our comparison with Google Translate.
Professional image translation that preserves your design
Translate text in images for another language, then review the generated result before sharing or publishing it. Useful for advertisements, product images, menus, and other visual content.
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