How to turn a photo into pixel art, step by step

Converting a photo to pixel art takes a few clicks. The tool works with JPG, PNG and WEBP files, so you can convert a JPG to pixel art the same way as any other picture. The steps below also explain how to pick settings that suit your image.

Steps

1. Choose a photo with a clear subject. A face, an animal or a single object works better than a busy scene. Small details disappear when the image is reduced.
2. Upload it. Drop the file on the upload area or click to browse.
3. Set the pixel size. Start with the default value. Then raise it for bigger blocks, or lower it to keep more detail.
4. Set the colour levels. Lower the value to get a flatter, more limited palette. Raise it if skin tones or the sky look too harsh.
5. Check the result. Change one slider at a time so you can see what each one does.
6. Download the PNG. Keep the PNG format. It does not blur the sharp edges of the blocks.

A worked example

Say your photo is 1200 px wide and 800 px high after the tool resizes it. You choose a pixel size of 20 px.

• Width: 1200 ÷ 20 = 60 blocks.
• Height: 800 ÷ 20 = 40 blocks.
• Total: 60 × 40 = 2,400 blocks in the whole picture.

If you change the pixel size to 10 px, you get 120 × 80 = 9,600 blocks. That is four times more blocks, so the image shows four times more detail. Halving the pixel size always multiplies the block count by four.

Practical tips

• Crop before you upload. A tight crop on the subject gives more blocks to the part that matters.
• Prefer good lighting. Photos with strong contrast keep their shapes better than dull, grey ones.
• Portraits: use small blocks so the eyes and mouth stay readable.
• Avatars and profile pictures: a square crop with a large pixel size gives a bold, simple look.
• Logos and icons: try a simple photo of one object on a plain background.
• Prints and posters: download the PNG and do not resize it with smoothing, or the edges will turn soft.
• Try several versions. Save two or three results with different settings and compare them side by side.

Common questions

Why does my pixel art look blurry when I post it online?

Some apps and websites recompress images or resize them with smoothing. To limit this, upload the PNG without editing it and avoid screenshots of the result.

Why do faces become hard to recognise?

With big blocks there are too few pixels left to draw the eyes, nose and mouth. Use a smaller pixel size, or crop closer to the face so it fills more of the frame.

Can I convert a picture that is not a photo, like a drawing or a screenshot?

Yes. Any JPG, PNG or WEBP image works. Drawings with flat colours and clear outlines often give cleaner results than photos, because there is less fine texture to lose.