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Photos and GIFs into PIXEL ART

High-resolution pixelation with real retro palettes and dithering. Animated GIFs supported. Everything runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded.

READY
Original Pixel
DROP IMAGE OR GIF
or paste from clipboard. PNG, JPG, WEBP, GIF — up to a few MB. Your file never leaves this device.
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How to turn a photo into pixel art

  1. Drop in a photo or GIF to start.
  2. Pick a palette — Game Boy, PICO-8, NES, CGA, 1-bit, or auto.
  3. Adjust resolution and dithering, then download your sprite.

How the conversion works

Turning a photo into pixel art is more than shrinking it. The image is first downscaled by averaging blocks of pixels, then every color is mapped to the chosen limited palette. Optional dithering scatters two palette colors in a pattern to suggest shades that aren't in the palette — the trick that gives retro art its characteristic texture and avoids flat banding. Finally the small image is scaled back up with hard edges so each pixel stays crisp.

Choosing palettes and dithering

Each palette evokes a different era: Game Boy's four greens, PICO-8's playful sixteen, the NES's console look, or stark 1-bit black and white. Dithering style changes the mood too — ordered dithering gives a clean, regular pattern while error-diffusion looks more organic. Lower resolutions read as chunky, nostalgic sprites; higher ones keep more of the original detail. Experimenting with these together is how you land on a look that fits.

Can I convert an animated GIF?
Yes — each frame is converted and re-assembled into an animated pixel-art result.

What's dithering for?
It simulates extra shades using patterns of palette colors, adding texture and reducing visible color banding.

Is my image uploaded?
No. The whole pipeline runs in your browser, so your image never leaves your device.