Drop image here or click to upload
PNG, JPG, GIF, WebP — processed in browserPixel art output
Upload an image and click Pixelate// reduce resolution and apply palette limits for retro pixel art
Convert any image to retro pixel art online. Reduce resolution, apply palette limits, and export pixelated images for game sprites, icons, and retro design.
Drop image here or click to upload
PNG, JPG, GIF, WebP — processed in browserPixel art output
Upload an image and click PixelateDrag & drop or click to select any PNG, JPG, GIF, or WebP image. Processed entirely in your browser.
Set pixel block size (2–64px), choose a palette size or preset, and pick a dithering algorithm.
Click Pixelate to preview the result, then download your pixel art as a PNG file.
The Pixel Art Converter reduces any image to a coarser resolution and limits the color palette — simulating the look of graphics from 8-bit and 16-bit hardware. All processing happens in the browser using the HTML5 Canvas API, so your images never leave your device.
No. All processing happens entirely in your browser using the HTML5 Canvas API. Your image data never leaves your device, making this tool completely private and safe to use with sensitive visuals.
The pixel size determines the resolution of each "block" in the output. A pixel size of 8 means every 8×8 region of the original image becomes a single solid-color square. Larger values = chunkier, more retro look.
Palette reduction limits the number of unique colors in the output. Real retro hardware had strict color limits (e.g., Game Boy had 4, NES had 54). Reducing palette size forces the converter to approximate colors with the nearest available shade.
Ordered (Bayer) dithering creates a regular grid pattern typical of early LCD screens. Floyd-Steinberg creates smooth gradients by diffusing error to neighbors. Atkinson is a modified version that retains contrast better. For the most retro feel, use Ordered. For the most photographic result, use Floyd-Steinberg.
Available presets include: Game Boy (4 shades of green), NES (54-color subset), C64 (Commodore 64's 16-color palette), CGA (IBM CGA 16 colors), PICO-8 (fantasy console 16-color palette), and Grayscale. Each simulates a real piece of retro hardware.
Yes! The PNG export is suitable for game sprites. For best results, use small pixel sizes (2–4px) with the specific palette of your target platform (e.g., PICO-8 or Game Boy presets) to ensure the asset stays within hardware constraints.
Any image your browser can display: PNG, JPG/JPEG, GIF (first frame), WebP, AVIF, and BMP. The output is always exported as a lossless PNG to preserve sharp pixel edges.
There's no enforced limit, but very large images (above 4000×4000px) may be slow to process in the browser. For best performance, resize large photos to under 2000px on the longest side before converting.
A pixel art converter is a tool that transforms high-resolution photographs or illustrations into low-resolution, blocky images that mimic the aesthetic of early video game graphics. By sampling each region of an image and replacing it with a single solid-color square, the converter recreates the iconic look of 8-bit and 16-bit hardware — the era of the NES, Game Boy, Commodore 64, and PICO-8 fantasy console.
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The conversion process involves two main stages: resolution reduction and palette quantization.
In the resolution reduction stage, the image is divided into a grid of non-overlapping blocks (e.g., 8×8 pixels each). The average color of all pixels within each block is computed, and the entire block is filled with that single color. This creates the characteristic "chunky" pixel look. The block size controls how coarse or fine the pixel grid appears — a 2px block size is subtle, while 32px gives you very large, abstract blocks.
Palette quantization then limits the number of unique colors in the output. The algorithm clusters all pixel colors into groups and replaces each with the nearest centroid color. This is similar to how k-means clustering works, but optimized for color data. The result is an image that uses only a fixed number of colors — just like real retro hardware.
Dithering is a technique that simulates additional colors or gradients using only the available palette colors, by alternating between two or more colors in a pattern. The human eye blends nearby colors together, creating the perception of intermediate shades that aren't actually in the palette.
Each hardware platform from the 8-bit and 16-bit era had strict, fixed color palettes due to hardware limitations:
Getting great pixel art from photographs requires a bit of experimentation. Here are some guidelines:
Pixel art conversion has a wide range of creative and practical applications:
Unlike desktop software such as Photoshop (with the Mosaic filter) or dedicated pixel art editors, a browser-based converter requires no installation, works on any device, and never uploads your image to a server. Your source image stays completely private — it never leaves your machine. The HTML5 Canvas API provides full access to raw pixel data, enabling the same quality algorithms used in desktop tools, entirely in-browser.