To make a photo black and white, add it to the box above. The Classic grayscale preset is applied straight away and shown in the live preview. Adjust contrast or brightness if you like, then select Download Current, or Download All (ZIP) for a batch. The black and white image converter runs in your browser, so your photos aren't uploaded.
How to convert a photo to black and white
- Add your photos. Drop JPG, PNG or WebP images onto the drop area, or select Select Images. You can load up to 500 images or 2 GB.
- Pick a preset. Classic grayscale is selected by default. Try Soft mono for gentle portraits, High contrast noir for deep blacks or Film-style mono for a darkroom look.
- Fine-tune. Use the Brightness (50-150%) and Contrast (50-200%) sliders, lower Grayscale strength below 100% for a faded, partly colored look, or add a little Blur to soften. Select Show original to compare with the color photo.
- Save. Leave Format on Keep original format or force JPG, PNG or WEBP, then select Download Current or Download All (ZIP).
Grayscale vs black and white: what this image converter makes
When people say a "black and white photo" they almost always mean a grayscale image: every pixel is a shade between black and white, with 256 levels in a standard 8-bit file. That's what this black and white photo editor produces, and it's what film photographers call monochrome. Each gray level follows the brightness the eye sees (Rec. 709 luminance, which weighs green most and blue least), not a plain average of red, green and blue.
A true two-tone image, where each pixel is either pure black or pure white, is something else. It's used for stencils, line art and some printing, and it throws away all the soft shading in a photo. For photos you want grayscale.
How to make a photo black and white that still looks good
Color photos rely on hue to separate things. Once the color is gone, only brightness is left, so a red flower and green leaves of similar brightness can turn into the same flat gray. That's why a straight conversion often looks dull, and why this tool starts Contrast at 110% instead of 100%.
- Landscapes and architecture: try High contrast noir and raise Contrast further for strong skies and shadows.
- Portraits: Soft mono keeps skin tones smooth. Pull Contrast back toward 100% if faces look harsh.
- Old or grainy photos: Film-style mono suits them, and a Blur of 0.3-0.5 px can hide noise.
- Dark photos: raise Brightness before contrast, or the shadows will clip to solid black.
If a photo needs a lot of brightness and contrast work, it can be easier to fix the exposure first with the brightness and contrast tool, then convert.
Which format should you save a black and white image in?
| Format | Choose it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Keep original format | Most photos | The default: a JPG stays a JPG |
| JPG | Sharing, printing, email | Uses the Quality slider (0.9 by default) |
| PNG | Scans, documents, graphics with text | Lossless, keeps transparency, larger files |
| WEBP | Websites | Small files, uses the Quality slider |
Keep your color original. Once the color is removed from a copy it can't be brought back, so treat the black and white version as a new file.
Turn a photo black and white on iPhone and Mac
On an iPhone, open the photo in Photos, tap Edit, open the Filters tab and choose Mono or Noir, then tap Done. On a Mac, Photos has the same filters under Edit. In Preview, choose Tools › Adjust Color and drag Saturation all the way to the left.
Those are fine for one picture. This page is quicker when you have a batch, want the same look across every photo, or need to choose the output format. If the next step is sharing, run the results through the JPG compressor to cut the file size.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a photo black and white for free?
Add the photo to the converter on this page. It turns grayscale right away, and you can download it with Download Current. There's no sign-up or watermark.
Can I turn a black and white photo back to color?
No. Converting removes the color information from the copy you save, so keep the original file if you might need color later.
Can I convert several photos to black and white at once?
Yes. Load up to 500 images, set the preset and sliders once, and select Download All (ZIP) to get every converted photo.
How do I make a photo only partly black and white?
Lower the Grayscale strength slider below 100%. At around 50% the photo keeps a hint of its original color, which gives a faded, vintage look.
Which preset gives the most dramatic black and white?
High contrast noir. It pushes shadows darker and highlights brighter, which suits street photos, architecture and moody portraits.
Are my photos uploaded?
No. The conversion and preview run in your browser, and the images stay on your device.