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Convert Image to Black and White

Make a colour picture black and white in seconds.

or drop an image anywhere on this page

JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, HEIC, GIF or BMP

  • Files never leave your device
  • Free, no sign-up
  • No watermark

How to use Convert Image to Black and White

  1. Choose a picture, or drag it onto the page.
  2. Check the live preview, which already shows the black and white result.
  3. Pick the output format: JPG for photos, PNG if you want to keep transparency.
  4. Press Convert to grayscale and download the file.

About this tool

A grayscale image keeps only the brightness of each pixel and drops the colour. This tool works out each pixel's grey level with the standard luma weighting, which counts green most, red less and blue least, because the eye is more sensitive to green. That is why a bright green leaf turns out lighter than a blue sky of the same strength.

The picture keeps its original width and height. Only the colour values change, so nothing is cropped or resized. If the original has transparent areas and you save as PNG or WebP, they stay transparent. JPG cannot store transparency, so those areas are filled with white.

Grey images can compress slightly smaller than colour ones in some formats, but the difference is usually modest, so do not expect a large drop in file size.

Practical uses

  • Printing a document or form photo on a black and white printer.
  • Giving a set of photos a consistent, classic look.
  • Preparing scans or screenshots where colour is a distraction.

Tips for better results

  • Start from the original photo rather than one that was already compressed hard, so the grey tones stay smooth.
  • Use PNG for graphics and screenshots, and JPG for photographs.
  • If the result looks flat, the original probably had little contrast. A separate brightness and contrast edit can help.

Frequently asked questions

Is black and white the same as grayscale?

In everyday use, yes. This tool produces a grayscale image: shades of grey from black to white, not just pure black and pure white dots.

Does it change the size of my picture?

No. The width and height stay the same. Only the colour is removed.

Is my photo uploaded?

No. The conversion runs in your browser on your own device.

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Privacy

Your image is processed in your browser on your own device. It is not uploaded to Paul Digital or any other server, and nothing is stored once you close the page.