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Convert a PDF to grayscale

Turn a color PDF into grayscale (black & white) right in your browser — handy for cheaper printing. Nothing is uploaded; the conversion runs on your device.

Drop a file here
or click to choose · stays on your device

100% private — files are converted in your browser and never uploaded.

How it works

Convert a PDF to grayscale in 3 steps

1

Choose your PDF

Drop a PDF — it loads locally.

2

Convert to grayscale

Every page is rendered in shades of gray on your device.

3

Download

Save the grayscale PDF.

How colour is removed

Each page is rendered in your browser at 1.6× (about 115 dpi), every pixel is converted to grey using the standard luminance weighting (30% red, 59% green, 11% blue — the same formula television uses), and the page is stored as a JPEG. The visual result is a faithful black-and-white version of the document.

Because the pages are rasterised, the output is image-only: text cannot be selected or searched. Keep the colour original for editing and use the grey copy for printing or distribution.

Why go grey

Monochrome copies print faster and cheaper on laser printers, are the standard for many court, government and academic submissions, and avoid colour-to-grey surprises when a recipient prints on a black-and-white device. A grey PDF also tends to be smaller than a colour scan.

FAQ

Common questions

Why convert to grayscale?

Grayscale PDFs are smaller and cheaper to print, since they use no colored ink. It's also useful for a cleaner, uniform look.

Is the text still selectable?

Pages are rendered to grayscale images, so the result is image-based. If you need selectable text, keep your original alongside the grayscale copy.

Are my files uploaded?

No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript — your file never leaves your device, so it's safe even for sensitive documents.

Is it free?

Yes — completely free, no signup, no watermark, and no daily limits.

Is the text still selectable after converting to grayscale?

No. Pages are stored as images, so selection and search are lost. This is a trade-off for a true, viewer-independent grey rendering.

Will the file get smaller?

Usually, for scans and colour-heavy documents. A text-only PDF may grow, because a rendered image of a page is larger than the vector text it replaces.