Convert an image to black and white
Turn a photo black and white, with a slider if you want to mix a little colour back in.
- Free
- Runs on your device
- No account
- No limits
How to convert an image to black and white
- Drop an image in the box above. It turns black and white right away.
- Slide the strength down if you want a partly faded look instead of full black and white.
- Choose a format and download at full quality.
About black and white here
Colours are mixed by how bright they look to the eye, not by a plain average. Green counts most and blue least, which is why skies and leaves keep their difference instead of turning into the same grey mush.
Nothing else about the image changes, and the download is made from your original at full size.
Like everything on this site, this tool runs in your browser. Your image is never uploaded.
Common questions
Is the black and white tool free?
Yes, properly free. No paid tier, no trial, no watermark on the result and nothing to sign up for. Put as many files through it as you like, as often as you like.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The black and white tool runs inside your browser, on your own machine, so your files never go anywhere. Big ones are fine too, up to whatever your browser can hold.
What is the difference between grayscale and black and white?
Grayscale keeps the full range of greys between black and white, which is what people almost always mean by a black and white photo. True black and white in the strict sense allows only two values with no greys at all, which looks like a fax. This tool gives you greys.
Does converting to grayscale make the file smaller?
Usually a little, because there's less colour information to store, though the saving is smaller than most people expect and depends on the format. If size is what you're after, the compress tool will do far more for you than removing the colour will.
What people usually do next
- Add a sepia tone to an image The warm brown look of an old photograph.
- Adjust brightness, contrast and saturation Brightness, contrast and saturation with a live preview.