Convert an image to pixel art

What this pixel art converter does

Pixel art is made of large, visible square pixels and a small set of colors, like sprites in early video games. The converter splits your image into square blocks, averages the color inside each block, then maps every block to the nearest color in a limited palette. Optional dithering mixes palette colors in a pattern so smooth gradients still read as shading.

How to turn an image into pixel art

Drop a photo, drawing or screenshot above. The preview updates as you change the settings:

• Pixel size sets how many image pixels each block covers, from 2 to 64. Larger blocks give a chunkier, more retro look.
• Palette is either Auto, which finds the main colors of your image, or a fixed palette: PICO-8, Game Boy greens, CGA, four grays or black and white.
• Colors sets how many colors Auto picks, from 2 to 64. Classic sprites often use 8 to 16.
• Dithering is off for flat areas of color, Floyd-Steinberg for smooth gradients, or Ordered for the cross-hatch pattern of old consoles.

Full-size image or one pixel per block

Full size scales each block back up with sharp edges, so the PNG is about the size of your photo and ready to post. 1 pixel per block saves the tiny sprite itself, for example 64 × 48 pixels, which you can open in Aseprite, Piskel, LibreSprite or a game engine and scale there without blur. Photos larger than 1600 pixels on the long side are scaled down before conversion so it stays fast on a phone.

Getting good results

Start with an image that has a clear subject and simple background. Faces and pets usually need a pixel size of 6 to 12 to stay recognizable. Try Auto with 8 to 16 colors first, then compare a fixed palette for a specific console style. Transparent PNGs keep their transparency, which is handy for game sprites and stickers.

Before you start

Input: JPG, JPEG, PNG, WEBP, GIF, BMP, and AVIF. Output: PNG. The settings appear before anything runs, so you can check them first. Your original file is never changed.

Pick the size and quality for where the image will end up. Resizing before strong compression usually keeps more visible detail. Keep an untouched original so you can export again later.

Keep the original until you have opened and checked the result. The work happens in this browser tab, so the size you can handle depends on your device's memory, your browser and the file itself.

How to convert an image to pixel art

1. Drop an image into the box above, or browse to pick one.
2. Set the pixel size and choose a palette and number of colors.
3. Pick a dithering style and compare it in the preview.
4. Choose full size or 1 pixel per block and download the PNG.