# Convert a PDF to grayscale

> Convert a PDF to grayscale or black and white in your browser. No upload, no account. Pages become pictures.

Gray or black and white, on your computer

A grayscale PDF tool turns each color page into shades of gray, or into plain black and white. LoveThisPDF draws the pages in this browser, drops the color, and writes a new PDF on your computer. Use it before you print, when a form wants a black-and-white scan, or when a color photo in the file is hard to read in gray ink.

Each page becomes a picture, so the words are no longer selectable and the file can grow. The PDF you dropped stays on disk. Unlock password-protected files on your computer first. Close the tab and the working files are gone.

Free. There is no paid tier. No account. They stay on your computer. Nothing is uploaded.

## How to convert a PDF to grayscale

1. Drop one PDF. It is read in this tab, never uploaded.
2. Choose grayscale or black and white.
3. Pick a sharper picture or a smaller file, then set the JPG quality.
4. Convert and download. The file you dropped stays on disk.

## Grayscale PDF without uploading

Most “convert pdf to grayscale” sites take the file and process it on a server. This page draws the pages in JavaScript. There is no account and no queue. If it fails, the file never sat on someone else’s disk.

Need each page as a JPG instead? Use [PDF to JPG](https://lovethispdf.com/tools/pdf-to-jpg.md).

## Questions

### Can I convert a PDF to grayscale without uploading it?

Yes. LoveThisPDF draws the pages in this tab and writes a new file on your device. Nothing is sent to a server.

### What is the difference between grayscale and black and white?

Grayscale keeps shades of gray, so photos still look like photos. Black and white keeps only black and white, which suits line art and text you will print.

### Will the text stay selectable?

No. Each page is saved as a picture so the color can be removed. Copy the words out first if you still need them.

### Will the file get smaller?

Sometimes, when the original is full of large color photos. A text PDF often gets larger, because the pages are now pictures. The download shows both sizes.

### Will this change my original PDF?

No. You download a new file. The PDF you dropped stays on disk.

## Related tools

- [PDF to JPG](https://lovethispdf.com/tools/pdf-to-jpg.md): Save each page as an image instead of a new PDF.
- [Compress PDF](https://lovethispdf.com/tools/compress-pdf.md): Shrink the file after the pages become pictures.
- [Extract text](https://lovethispdf.com/tools/extract-text.md): Copy the words out before they stop being selectable.
- [Resize PDF](https://lovethispdf.com/tools/resize-pdf.md): Scale every page to A4, Letter, or another paper size first.
- [Crop PDF](https://lovethispdf.com/tools/crop-pdf.md): Trim scanner edges before you drop the color.