Convert an Image to Black and White
Turn any photo into grayscale with brightness and contrast control. Free, online, and no file uploads.
How to use the black and white converter
To get started, drag your photo directly onto the upload area or click it to open the file picker. The tool accepts JPG, PNG and WebP images. As soon as the file loads, the color preview appears on the left and the black and white result is shown immediately on the right, using the standard luminance formula (21%, 72% and 7% weights for red, green and blue), which mirrors how the human eye perceives color brightness.
Once the image is loaded, three controls let you customize the result. The B&W Intensity slider creates a partial effect, blending the original color version with black and white — at 0% the photo stays in color, at 100% it's fully monochrome. The Brightness control darkens or lightens the whole image, useful for compensating under- or overexposed photos. Contrast widens or narrows the gap between light and dark tones, making the image punchier or softer.
All adjustments apply in real time — the preview updates instantly as you move the sliders. There's no "apply" button, which makes it easy to try different combinations until you find the look you want. For portraits, a slightly positive contrast usually brings out features well. For landscapes, raising contrast by +15 to +25 dramatically enhances textures and clouds.
Once you're happy with the result, choose between PNG (lossless, ideal for logos, artwork and images you'll edit later) or JPG (smaller file, perfect for photos published online). Click Download image and the file will be saved with a "-bw" suffix added to the original name. To process a new photo, click "New image" to clear the tool.