Convert PDF to Grayscale
Turn a color PDF into black and white. Text and drawings stay sharp and searchable because they are converted directly, not turned into pictures. Nothing is uploaded.
Drop a PDF here or
Your file never leaves your device. Everything happens in this browser tab: no upload, no server copy.
How to convert a PDF to black and white
- Drop a PDF onto the box or click "Choose PDF".
- Leave "Convert photos and images too" ticked for a fully gray document, or untick it to gray only text and shapes.
- Click "Convert to grayscale". The black-and-white PDF downloads automatically.
True grayscale, not a screenshot
Many converters turn each page into a gray picture, which makes text blurry, unsearchable and much larger. This tool works inside the PDF instead: every color instruction for text, lines and shapes is rewritten to its gray equivalent, and photos are converted pixel by pixel. Text stays real text, so it remains sharp at any zoom and you can still search and copy it.
Colors are converted by brightness using the standard weighting the eye uses (green looks brighter than blue), so contrast is preserved: red headings become dark gray and yellow highlights become light gray. Gradients, form fields, stamps and comments are converted too.
When to use it
Print a color document on a black-and-white printer without the printer choosing poor shades, save color ink and toner, meet submission rules that require grayscale documents (common for court filings, theses and some government forms), or simply check how a design reads without color. A few rare color types, such as print shop spot colors, may keep some color; the result message mentions it if so.
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Frequently asked questions
Are my files uploaded?
No. Your PDF is opened and processed by JavaScript in this browser tab. Nothing is sent to a server and no copy is kept.
Will the text still be selectable?
Yes. Text is recolored, not turned into an image, so it stays selectable and searchable.
Does it make the file smaller?
Usually slightly, because gray images need less data than color ones. Run Compress PDF afterwards for a bigger reduction.
Can I keep photos in color?
Yes. Untick "Convert photos and images too" to gray only the text, lines and shapes.
Why is part of my PDF still in color?
Some special color types, such as spot colors used by print shops, are left as they are. Everything else is converted.