Dither effect
Turn any photo into 1-bit or retro dithered art with Floyd-Steinberg, Atkinson, or Bayer dithering. Free, private, no upload required.
Drop an image here, click to browse, or paste
Supports JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, HEIC, and more
Related tools
Pixelate image
Apply a blocky mosaic pixelate effect to an image. Adjust block size with a slider.
Invert image
Invert image colors for a negative effect, or convert a photo to black and white.
Generate ASCII art
Turn a photo into ASCII art, or type text to get block letters. Copy it or save it as a PNG or TXT file.
Everything you need to dither an image online
Four dithering algorithms
Floyd-Steinberg for smooth gradients, Atkinson for the high-contrast Macintosh look, Bayer for a regular halftone pattern, and a plain 1-bit threshold for a flat posterized cut.
Black and white or 8 colors
Reduce the image to pure black and white, or dither each color channel separately to get an 8-color retro palette.
Adjustable dot size
Dither at one dot per pixel for fine detail, or scale the dots up to 8 pixels for chunky pixel-art output with crisp square edges.
Live preview
See the dithered result as you change the algorithm, colors, or dot size. No waiting for an upload or a server.
100% private, no upload
Your image never leaves your device. Dithering runs in your browser using the Canvas API. No server, no cloud, no data stored.
Works on any device
Fully responsive. Use it on desktop, tablet, or mobile without installing anything.
Lossless PNG export
The result is saved as a PNG so every dot stays exactly as rendered. Lossy formats like JPG would smear the pattern.
Three steps to a dithered image
- 1
Upload your image
Drag and drop an image onto the page, click to browse, or paste from your clipboard. Supports JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, TIFF, and HEIC.
- 2
Pick an algorithm and dot size
Choose Floyd-Steinberg, Atkinson, Bayer, or a plain 1-bit threshold. Switch between black and white or 8-color output, and raise the dot size for a chunkier retro look. The preview updates as you change each setting.
- 3
Download your dithered image
Save the result as a PNG, or copy it to your clipboard. Everything runs in your browser, so nothing is uploaded to any server.
Built for designers, game developers, and retro fans
Whether you are chasing a 1-bit retro look, prepping art for an e-ink screen, or making pixel-art textures, PixelTools dithers your image instantly with no upload required.
Retro and 1-bit art
Give photos the look of classic Macintosh, Game Boy, or newspaper graphics for posters, covers, and social posts.
Pixel art and game assets
Turn a photo or render into a limited-palette sprite or texture reference with a visible dither pattern.
E-ink and thermal printers
Prepare images for displays and printers that only show black or white. Dithering keeps tone and detail that a plain threshold loses.
Design experiments
Try different algorithms side by side to find the grain and texture that suits a layout, album cover, or brand style.
Frequently asked questions
What is a dither effect?
+
Dithering reduces an image to very few colors, often just black and white, and uses patterns of dots to fake the shades in between. Areas that were mid-grey become a mix of black and white dots, so the picture still reads as a photo from a distance.
Which dithering algorithm should I use?
+
Floyd-Steinberg gives the smoothest, most photo-like result. Atkinson is higher contrast and keeps bright and dark areas cleaner, which is the classic early Macintosh look. Bayer makes a regular crosshatch pattern. 1-bit threshold does no dithering at all and just cuts each pixel to black or white.
Is the dither image tool free?
+
Yes, completely free with no limits. No subscription, no account, no watermark.
Does dithering upload my image to a server?
+
No. PixelTools dithers images entirely in your browser using the Canvas API. Your image never leaves your device.
What does the dot size setting do?
+
At 1px every pixel is dithered individually. Higher values shrink the image, dither it, then scale it back up with sharp edges, so each dot becomes a bigger square. Use it for chunky pixel-art output.
Can I make a color dithered image?
+
Yes. Switch Colors to Color and each of the red, green, and blue channels is dithered separately, giving an 8-color image.
What image formats are supported?
+
JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, TIFF, and HEIC/HEIF. The result is exported as a PNG.
Is transparency kept?
+
Yes. Only the color channels are dithered. Transparent areas of a PNG or WebP stay transparent.
Dither your image now
Free, instant, no account needed.