Invert image colors

Inverting replaces each color with its opposite on the color wheel. Technically, each red, green and blue value is subtracted from the maximum of 255:

Inverting twice gets you back to the original image exactly. Transparency is not inverted: transparent areas of a PNG stay transparent.

• Scanned film negatives. Photograph or scan a black-and-white negative and invert it to see the positive. For color negatives, inverting alone leaves a strong blue or cyan cast, because color film has an orange base layer. You will need to correct the color balance afterward in a photo editor.
• Dark-mode versions of diagrams. Black text on white becomes white text on black. Note that colors change too, so check that the result still makes sense.
• Readability. Some people find light text on a dark background easier on the eyes for screenshots of documents.
• Art and design. Negative images give a striking, surreal look on posters and album covers.
• X-ray-style effects for fun or illustration.

• For a black-and-white negative, convert the photo to grayscale first with Black and white photo, then invert, to avoid strange color tints.
• For inverted documents, a PNG keeps text crisper than JPG.
• To undo, simply invert the result again.
• Logos and icons: inverting a dark logo on a transparent background gives you a light version for dark backgrounds. Check the colors, because brand colors change to their opposites, not just lighter shades.
• Screenshots for presentations: an inverted screenshot can match a dark slide template, but test that charts and color-coded labels still read correctly.
• If you want the negative look as one of several creative filters, Photo effects has a Negative effect with adjustable strength, plus brightness and contrast controls.

1. Light the negative from behind. Place it on a bright, evenly lit surface such as a tablet showing a blank white screen or a light box.
2. Photograph it straight on with your phone, filling the frame, or use a flatbed scanner with a film adapter.
3. Crop away the edges of the film holder with Crop image.
4. Convert to grayscale if it is a black-and-white negative, then invert here.
5. Fine-tune brightness and contrast in Photo effects, because inverted scans often look slightly flat.

This gives you a quick digital preview of old negatives. For archival quality, a dedicated film scanner or a professional scanning service will capture more detail and more accurate color.

The inversion runs in your browser on the full-resolution image; nothing is uploaded. JPG, PNG and WebP files keep their format, and other formats such as HEIC are saved as JPG. The file name gets a "-kitpebble" suffix so you do not overwrite the original. Inverting does not lose detail, though JPG files are re-saved, which is not noticeable at the high quality used here.