Grayscale is not just a visual filter: it changes the colour data stored in the PDF. That can make a document cheaper to print, smaller to store, or easier to read when the original used colour to carry meaning.
Step by step
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1
Upload your PDF
Drag your PDF onto the box or click Choose file. It is sent over an encrypted connection and only used for this task.
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2
Set the options
Adjust text conversion, image conversion and compress images. Every field has a sensible default, so you can usually run the tool straight away.
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3
Run it and download
Press Grayscale and the page shows progress while it works. When it finishes you get a download link — nothing is emailed and nothing is stored longer than it needs to be.
Text and images are separate choices
Text conversion can produce grayscale or solid black. Images can be converted to grayscale or left in colour. A report with a colour logo may want grayscale text but a preserved image; a print proof may want everything converted. Decide per document rather than assuming one setting fits all.
Compression and print
Compressing images while converting can reduce file size, but it can also soften fine detail. Check a page with small text or a chart after the conversion. For a black-and-white printer, pure black text often produces the crispest output; grayscale text is better for subtle tables and shaded areas.
Check the meaning
Open the output and look for information that was carried only by colour — a red warning, a green status, a coloured chart line. A grayscale conversion can make two categories indistinguishable. Add labels or patterns in the source if the document depends on colour contrast.
Good habits for Grayscale
- The preview updates as you type, so you can judge spacing before running it.
- Leave a page range blank to apply to every page.
- Colours accept a hex value, so you can match an existing brand colour exactly.
Common questions
Is this tool free?
Yes. Every tool on this site is free to use, with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily task limit.
Why does this tool sometimes say a component is missing?
This feature relies on the optional fitz component. Everything else keeps working; an administrator can enable it on the server.
Do I need to install anything?
No. The tools run in your browser and are processed by this server.
What happens to my files?
They are stored under an unguessable id and swept automatically after a couple of hours. Nothing is shared or indexed.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. The page pickers and editors are built for touch, so dragging, rotating and selecting pages all work without a mouse.
What does Grayscale do exactly?
Make a PDF text and images grayscale
Does grayscale reduce file size?
It can, especially when images are also compressed. Text-only PDFs may change very little.
Can I keep images in colour?
Yes. Set the image conversion to “none” and convert only the text, or choose grayscale for both.
Will my scanned PDF still be searchable?
Grayscale does not remove a text layer. If the scan had no OCR text, it remains unsearchable.