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Grayscale PDF
Convert PDF to Black & White

Convert your color PDF to grayscale instantly. Reduce file size while preserving layout and readability — completely free and private on your device.

Convert to grayscaleReduce file sizePreserve layoutNo upload required

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About

What Is a Grayscale PDF?

A grayscale PDF is a document where all color information has been removed, leaving only shades of gray from black to white. Every pixel is converted using the standard luminance formula (0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B), which closely matches how human vision perceives brightness. The result is a clean, readable black-and-white document.

Converting to grayscale is useful for printing on monochrome printers, reducing file size for email or archival, meeting academic or legal submission requirements, and evaluating document contrast and readability without color distractions.

Our Grayscale PDF tool processes your file entirely on your device. Each page is rendered at high resolution, converted to true perceptual grayscale, and reassembled into a new PDF. Your document is never uploaded anywhere — it stays private and under your control at all times.

Features

Features of the Grayscale PDF Tool

Convert color PDFs to black and white with precision and privacy

True Grayscale Conversion

Each pixel is converted using the luminance formula (0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B) for perceptually accurate grayscale that matches how your eyes see brightness.

Smaller File Size

Grayscale images compress more efficiently than color. The resulting PDF is often significantly smaller, making it ideal for email, archival, or printing.

Layout Preserved

Text, images, charts, and page dimensions stay exactly where they are. Only the color information changes — the layout and structure remain intact.

Before & After Preview

See a side-by-side comparison of the original color page and the grayscale result before downloading, so you can verify the output looks right.

100% Private & Secure

Your PDF never leaves your device. All processing happens locally in your browser — nothing is uploaded to any server. Safe for confidential documents.

No Registration Required

Use the tool without creating an account. Open the page, drop your PDF, convert, and download — no sign-up, no subscription, completely free.

How to use

How to Convert a PDF to Grayscale

Four simple steps — no install, no sign-up

01
01

Open the Grayscale Tool

Navigate to the Grayscale PDF page. You'll see the upload area ready for your file.

02
02

Upload Your PDF

Drag and drop a PDF file onto the drop zone, or click to browse and select one from your device.

03
03

Convert to Grayscale

Click 'Convert to Grayscale'. The tool processes each page, showing progress. Preview the before/after result.

04
04

Download the Result

Click 'Download Grayscale PDF' to save the converted file. Check the stats for page count and file size.

Use cases

Use Cases for Grayscale PDF

When and why to convert a PDF to black and white

Black & White Printing

Convert color PDFs to grayscale before printing on a monochrome printer. The output looks cleaner and avoids unreadable gray tones from automatic color stripping.

Reducing Email Attachment Size

Grayscale PDFs are smaller than color ones. Convert before emailing to stay under attachment size limits while keeping the document readable.

Academic Submissions

Many universities and journals require grayscale figures and documents. Convert your full PDF to grayscale to meet submission guidelines effortlessly.

Document Archiving

Archive older documents in grayscale to save storage space. The smaller file sizes add up when archiving thousands of color PDFs.

Legal & Compliance

Some legal filings require black-and-white documents. Convert color scans or reports to grayscale to meet court or regulatory requirements.

Design Mockups

Quickly create grayscale versions of design proofs to evaluate contrast, readability, and accessibility without color distractions.

Compare Plans

Free vs Paid — Grayscale PDF

Get started free, upgrade when you need more power.

Feature
Free
Paid
Daily usage
5 uses/day
Unlimited
File size limit
10 MB
Up to 500 MB
All core features
No software installation
Works on any device
Files stay on your device
Batch processing
Priority support
Upgrade — starting at $9.99/mo
Upgrade to Full Version

Unlock the Full Power of Grayscale PDF

Remove daily limits, process larger files up to 500 MB, enable batch processing, and get priority support.

Buy Full Version — $9.99/moor $500 enterprise

PDF Tools includes:

  • 21 PDF tools included
  • Unlimited daily uses
  • 100 MB file size limit
  • Batch processing
  • Sign, Redact, OCR, Watermark
  • All export formats

Also available in the All Tools Bundle

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the Grayscale PDF tool

Q1. What does 'grayscale PDF' mean?
A grayscale PDF is one where all colors have been converted to shades of gray — from pure black to pure white. Text, images, charts, and backgrounds all appear in black and white. The layout and structure of the document remain exactly the same.
Q2. Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. The entire conversion happens in your browser on your device. Your PDF is never sent anywhere. This makes the tool safe for confidential, personal, or sensitive documents.
Q3. Will the grayscale PDF be smaller than the original?
Usually yes. Grayscale images compress more efficiently than color images, so the resulting PDF is often noticeably smaller. The exact savings depend on how much color content is in the original.
Q4. Does it preserve text, links, and layout?
The tool renders each page as a high-resolution image and rebuilds the PDF, so the visual layout is perfectly preserved. However, selectable text and hyperlinks are converted to images. If you need selectable text, consider using OCR on the result.
Q5. What quality is the output?
Pages are rendered at 2× scale for high resolution and saved as JPEG at 85% quality. This provides a good balance between sharpness and file size. The before/after preview lets you verify quality before downloading.
Q6. Can I convert a password-protected PDF?
No. The tool cannot open password-protected or encrypted PDFs. Remove the password first using a PDF unlocker tool, then convert to grayscale.
Q7. Does it work on mobile devices?
Yes. The tool works on any device with a modern browser — phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops. Tap the upload area on mobile to select a PDF from your files.
Q8. Is the Grayscale PDF tool free?
Yes. The tool is completely free with no limits, no sign-up, and no watermarks. Convert as many PDFs as you like.
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