Original
Pixel art
Convert a photo into pixel art locally
Upload an image, choose how coarse the pixel grid should be and how many colors survive, and watch the preview update. The result is a real pixel grid: each cell is one solid color chosen by median-cut quantization — the same palette technique classic games used.
How to use
- Drop in a PNG, JPG or WebP (or press load a sample photo to try it).
- Pick a grid size for the long side — 32 is a good start.
- Drag the color slider down for a more stylized look.
- Choose transparency handling, then download the PNG at 1×, 4× or 8×.
Inputs, outputs and limits
| What | Limit |
|---|---|
| Input | One static PNG / JPG / WebP, ≤ 20 MB, ≤ 4096 × 4096 px |
| Grid size | 8–256 cells on the long side |
| Palette | 2–64 colors (median-cut), transparency kept or composited |
| Output | PNG at 1× / 4× / 8× nearest-neighbor scale |
Good to know
- Semi-transparent input stays semi-transparent? No — pixel art is binary: pixels end up fully opaque or fully transparent (threshold at 50% alpha), unless you composite onto a background color.
- Every setting change re-processes instantly; nothing is final until you download.
- This page converts one image at a time and does not edit pixels — for hand-drawing use the Pixel Art Maker.
FAQ
What does this image to pixel art converter do?
It downsizes a photo or illustration to a small pixel grid (8–256 cells on the long side), reduces it to 2–64 colors with median-cut quantization, and lets you download the result as a PNG. The original and the pixel version are shown side by side.
Which file formats can I convert?
PNG, JPG/JPEG and WebP, up to 20 MB and 4096 × 4096 pixels. You can drag and drop or pick a file. Files in other formats, damaged files, or images that fail to decode produce a specific error message.
What happens to transparency in my PNG?
By default transparent pixels stay transparent in the result. If you choose to composite on a background color, every semi-transparent pixel is blended onto your chosen color first, and the exported PNG becomes fully opaque.
How do grid size and color count affect the result?
Grid size is the resolution in cells of the long side — smaller means blockier. Color count is the palette size after quantization — fewer colors gives a more stylized, retro look. Changes re-process instantly; you can compare and export at any time.
Are my images uploaded to a server?
No. The whole conversion runs locally in your browser with canvas and JavaScript. The page makes no network requests with your image, filename or palette, and nothing is stored after you close the tab.
Why does my result look different from the editor on the home page?
They are different tasks. This page converts an existing image in one pass — it has no brush or undo. If you want to draw or fix pixels by hand, use the Pixel Art Maker on the home page.