How to make a photo black and white
- Drop your photo on the box above. It opens already converted to black and white with a little extra contrast.
- Fine-tune with Contrast and Brightness. Move Black & white below 100 to keep a hint of color.
- Add a Vignette to darken the corners, or a touch of Sepia for a warm, old-photo tone.
- Click Download to save at the original resolution.
Getting a good black and white image
The conversion weights the color channels the way the eye perceives brightness (about 21% red, 72% green and 7% blue), so a red flower against green leaves does not turn into one flat grey. Black and white photos rely on light and contrast rather than color, so most images benefit from a contrast boost of 10–30. Portraits, street photos, architecture and stormy skies tend to work best.
Before converting, try moving the Warmth slider: it changes how bright skin, skies and foliage become, much like a colored filter on a film camera. Warm settings lighten skin and darken blue skies for drama.
Editing happens entirely in your browser. Your photo is never uploaded.
FAQ
What is the difference between grayscale and black and white?
In photography they mean the same: an image made only of shades of grey from black to white.
Will I lose the original color?
No. Your original file is not changed; a new black and white copy is downloaded.
How do I make an old-fashioned photo?
Keep black and white at 100, add 40–60 sepia, a vignette and slightly lower contrast.