What is the difference between grayscale and black and white?

Grayscale uses continuous shades of gray (256 levels), which keeps gradients, photos, and complex graphics detailed without color. Pure black and white uses only two values: pure black or pure white, with no grays in between. Grayscale is ideal for printing presentations, charts, and photos, while pure black and white produces high-contrast, photocopy-style scans and text documents.

How do I convert a PDF to pure black and white without gray shades?

Choose the "Black & white" mode in the tool. Unlike grayscale, this mode thresholds every color and tone into pure 1-bit black or white, leaving zero gray pixels. It creates sharp, high-contrast pages that look like a clean photocopy, making it ideal for scanned text, invoices, and line drawings.

How can I print a PDF in black and white?

Convert your PDF with this tool first, download the result, and print it normally from any PDF viewer. Because the pages are already converted to black and white, you can print on any printer without adjusting complex printer driver settings, preventing accidental color ink and toner usage.

Are my files uploaded to a server?

No. The entire conversion happens locally inside your browser using WebAssembly. Your PDF never leaves your device, is never uploaded to any server, and is never stored or inspected. You can confirm this at any time by opening your browser's network tab.

Does converting a PDF to grayscale reduce its file size?

Often, yes. Color images store three color channels (red, green, and blue), whereas grayscale images store only one channel, so image-heavy documents often shrink after conversion. However, file size reduction is not guaranteed for text-only documents. If you need a specific file size reduction, use our Compress PDF tool on the converted file.

Can I convert only specific pages and keep others in color?

Yes. All pages are selected for conversion by default, but you can click individual page thumbnails to keep them in full color (such as a cover page or presentation slide). You can also use "Range selection" to quickly choose a continuous sequence of pages to convert.

Will the text in my PDF stay selectable and searchable?

Yes. This tool recolors the existing PDF text and vector elements directly rather than flattening pages into bitmap images. Your text remains searchable, selectable, and copyable, and vector line art stays crisp at any zoom level.

Visual PDF

- Edit
- Utilities
- Convert
- Secure

PDF to black and white

Drop your file here

Your files never leave your device. Learn how your files stay private.

Turn a PDF into grayscale for cheaper printing, or convert it to pure black and white for crisp scans. Pick the pages to convert and preview the result in real time. Your file never leaves your browser.

Real visual preview on every page
Thumbnails display the real converted document in real time rather than a generic CSS filter, so you see exactly how every page will look before downloading.
Two modes: grayscale and pure black & white
Choose "Grayscale" for smooth tonal transitions in photos and graphics, or "Black & white" for crisp 1-bit contrast on scanned documents and text.
Convert selected pages or entire documents
Convert all pages at once, pick specific pages visually, or use "Range selection" to keep cover pages or diagrams in full color while converting the rest.
Selectable text and crisp vectors
Pages are recolored rather than rasterized into images. Text stays selectable and searchable, fonts remain embedded, and vector graphics stay sharp.
Your PDF never leaves your device
The entire conversion runs locally in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to any server, stored, or scanned, keeping private documents completely secure.
Free, with no watermark on the result
Convert as many PDF files and pages as you need without creating an account or paying. Your downloaded files never have watermarks or branding added.

How to convert a PDF to black and white

Open your PDF
Drop your PDF into the box above or choose it from your device. Every page opens in your browser with a live thumbnail preview.
Choose your color mode and pages
Select "Grayscale" for continuous gray tones or "Black & white" for pure monochrome. All pages are selected by default. Click any page to keep it in color, or use "Range selection" to convert only a specific set of pages.
Validate and download
Click "Validate" to convert the selected pages, then "Download" your new PDF. Text stays selectable and vector graphics remain sharp, with no watermark added.