Convert an image into editable pixel art.

Choose a source image

Drop a PNG, JPEG, WebP, or another browser-readable static image onto the landing page. The file is decoded and processed in your browser; the image is not uploaded to Pixel Art Tool.

Images with a clear subject, readable silhouette, and moderate contrast usually translate most cleanly. Transparent PNGs keep their transparent areas.

To draw without a source, choose New blank canvas, name the project, and set an exact grid size. New blank documents begin with a white background; enable Transparent background in Layers whenever the artwork needs alpha. Blank documents hide conversion controls and keep the painting, resizing, project, and export tools.

Build the first version

Start with pixel density. This is the number of cells along the image’s longest edge. It is not a visual zoom setting. Lower values create chunkier shapes; higher values retain more detail.

• Try 24–40 pixels for icons and bold sprites.
• Try 48–80 pixels for portraits and illustrated scenes.
• Use higher values only when the source has details worth preserving.

Edit individual pixels

Generated pixels live underneath a separate edit layer. That means conversion changes can rebuild the base while preserving your hand edits.

Pencil · P

Paint with the selected color.

Eraser · E

Make edited cells transparent.

Fill · F

Recolor a connected area in one action.

Eyedropper · I

Pick a color directly from the artwork.

Restore · R

Remove an edit and reveal the generated cell.

Hand · H

Pan the canvas without painting.

Use Undo and Redo for completed strokes. Hold Space to temporarily pan with the hand tool, hold O to reveal the original image, and press 0 to fit the artwork back into view.

• Scroll or use two fingers on a trackpad to pan the canvas.
• Hold Shift while scrolling to pan horizontally.
• Use Ctrl/Cmd-scroll or a trackpad pinch to zoom around your pointer.
• On a touchscreen, use two fingers to pan and pinch at the same time.

Projects and export

Pixel Art Tool autosaves named projects to a browser-local library and shows whether the active project is saving, saved, or unavailable beside its name. Browser copies are convenient working storage, not downloaded backups.

Open the Project menu to start a new image, open a saved .pixeltool file, rename the current project, or choose Download project file for a portable backup. A project file includes the source image, conversion settings, generated grid, and your edits.

• Download native-size PNG exports the exact working grid.
• Download 8× PNG (or your selected scale) enlarges the grid with crisp nearest-neighbor edges.
• Download original-size PNG matches the source image dimensions.
• Download SVG creates scalable vector geometry from the native grid.