Convert a photo to black and white

The tool converts each pixel to a shade of gray based on its brightness, the same grayscale conversion web browsers use, which weighs green most, then red, then blue, roughly matching how our eyes perceive brightness. A bright yellow therefore becomes a light gray, while a deep blue becomes dark.

The Contrast slider runs from 50% to 200%:

• Below 100% gives a softer, flatter, slightly faded look.
• 100% is the neutral conversion.
• 120–150% makes blacks deeper and whites brighter, the punchy look of classic street and documentary photography.
• Above 150% gives a graphic, high-contrast effect.

The conversion is done in your browser on the full-resolution image, and nothing is uploaded.

Black and white removes color, so the picture relies on light, shape and texture:

• Portraits. Skin blemishes and distracting colors fade, and expressions stand out.
• Strong light and shadow. Side light, window light and harsh sun make dramatic monochrome images.
• Textures and patterns. Brick, wood, fabric, architecture and clouds.
• Mixed lighting. Photos with ugly color casts from different light sources often look better without color.
• Old-style looks. Black and white gives a timeless, documentary feel.

Photos where color is the subject, such as a sunset or autumn leaves, usually lose their impact.

"Black and white" in photography almost always means grayscale: hundreds of shades of gray between black and white. That is what this tool creates.

A pure two-tone image, where every pixel is either black or white, is something different. It is useful for stencils, signatures and line art. If you need that, vectorize the image with PNG to SVG using the Black and white preset, which traces the shapes into crisp two-tone vector paths.

• Start with good light. Monochrome rewards contrast between light and shadow. A flat, overcast photo can look dull in gray; raise the contrast to 120–140%.
• Watch the skies. Blue skies turn mid-gray. If the sky looks washed out, a higher contrast gives clouds more definition.
• Check skin tones. Very high contrast can make faces look harsh; portraits usually look best between 100% and 125%.
• Brighten or darken first. If the photo is too dark overall, adjust brightness in Photo effects and then convert.
• Compare with the original. Keep the color version; you might want both.

The image keeps its format where possible: JPG stays JPG, PNG stays PNG (with transparency) and WebP stays WebP. HEIC and other formats are saved as JPG. A grayscale JPG is often a bit smaller than the color original. The downloaded file gets a "-kitpebble" suffix, so the original stays untouched.

For more creative looks, such as sepia, film grain or duotone, try Photo effects.