PDFPixo

PDF to Black & White

Turn a colour PDF into black and white (grey) for cheaper printing.

Make a grey copy of a colour PDF so it prints cleanly on a black-and-white printer and costs less to photocopy.

Turn a colour PDF into black and white

This tool makes a grey (grayscale) copy of a colour PDF. Every page keeps its size and layout, but all colours become shades of grey. Use it before you print notes, question papers, bills, forms or study material on a black-and-white printer, or before you take photocopies at a shop. Colour pages often cost more to print, and a grey copy shows you exactly how the page will look on paper.

How it works

Each page is drawn as a sharp picture at about 144 dots per inch, the colour is removed pixel by pixel using the normal brightness formula, and the grey pictures are saved as a new PDF of the same page size. Dark text stays dark and light backgrounds stay light, so the printout remains easy to read.

What changes in the new file

Because the pages become pictures, the text in the black-and-white copy can no longer be selected, copied or searched, and links and fill-in boxes stop working. This is fine for printing and for sharing a copy to read. Keep your original colour PDF if you need to copy text or fill a form later.

File size

The size of the new PDF depends on the pages. A PDF that is mostly text can become larger, because the text is now stored as a picture. A PDF full of colour photos often becomes smaller. If you need to upload the grey copy somewhere with a size limit, run it through Compress PDF afterwards.

Locked PDFs

If the PDF has an open password, remove it first with the remove password tool, using the password you already know, and then make the black-and-white copy.

Common uses

Students print class notes and previous-year papers in grey to save money. Offices print long reports for internal reading. Shopkeepers check how a coloured bill or price list will look on a cheap printer. People applying for jobs print forms that do not need colour.

Save even more paper

After making the grey copy, open it in the 2 or 4 pages per sheet tool to put several pages on one A4 sheet. Notes and slides are usually still readable at 2 pages per sheet.

An example

A student has 40 pages of coloured notes as a PDF. She makes a black-and-white copy, puts 2 pages on each sheet, and prints 20 sheets in grey instead of 40 colour pages.

Private by design

Everything happens inside your own browser. Your files and the details you type are never uploaded to a server, and nothing is kept after you close the page. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no daily limit. For personal papers such as ID cards, bank details and salary documents, this matters more than anything else.

How to use it

  1. Choose the PDF Pick the colour PDF from your phone or computer.
  2. Press the button Every page is turned grey in your browser.
  3. Check the result Look at the preview to see how the print will look.
  4. Download and print Save the grey PDF and print it.

Why choose PDFPixo for this tool

  • Same page size Pages keep their size and layout.
  • Cheaper printing Print in grey on any black-and-white printer.
  • Works on phone No app or software to install.
  • Private and free Your PDF never leaves your device.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a PDF black and white?
Choose the PDF, press the button and download the grey copy.
Can I still copy the text?
No. The pages become pictures. Keep the original if you need the text.
Will the file get smaller?
Sometimes. Text-only PDFs can get bigger; use Compress PDF if needed.
Does it work with a locked PDF?
Remove the password first with the remove password tool.
Is my file uploaded?
No. It is processed in your browser.

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