Convert a PDF to greyscale or black and white
Turn a colour PDF greyscale or pure black and white for printing, or dark for night reading. The text stays searchable. Done in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Runs in your browser — this file is never uploaded
How to convert a PDF to greyscale or black and white
- 1
Open your PDF
Drop in the colour document.
- 2
Pick the look
Greyscale keeps every shade, Black and white makes text and scans crisp for printing and faxing, Dark mode is for reading at night.
- 3
Download
Each page is redrawn in the new colours on your device, with the original text kept underneath so it stays searchable.
See also
Frequently asked
Will the text still be searchable?+
Yes, with "Keep the text searchable" on (the default). Each page is redrawn as a picture in the new colours and placed over the original, so the original text is still there to search, select and copy.
Why redraw the pages instead of changing the colours directly?+
PDFs can hold colour in many places (text, drawings, photos, transparency, special print colours), and changing each one in place often misses some. Redrawing the page catches everything, so nothing in colour slips through.
My print shop checks files for colour. Which setting do I need?+
Turn "Keep the text searchable" off. Then the file contains only the greyscale pictures, with no original colour content underneath for a preflight check to find.
Will the file get bigger?+
Usually somewhat, since each page becomes an image. Standard quality (150 dpi) keeps it reasonable; High is for small print. Black and white produces the smallest files.
Is my file uploaded?+
No. Every page is redrawn inside your browser.
Is Greyscale PDF free to use?+
Yes. Greyscale PDF is free and unlimited, with no account and no watermark added to your document.
Are my files uploaded to a server?+
No. Greyscale PDF runs entirely inside your browser, so the document never leaves your device.
Which browsers does it work in?+
Any current version of Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari, on desktop, tablet and phone.