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Photo to Pixel Art Converter

Use this photo to pixel art converter to turn a portrait, pet photo, or camera shot into recognizable pixel art. Adjust the pixel size and colors, then download a PNG.

Drag and drop your photo here

Supports PNG, JPG, GIF, and WEBP - up to 10MB

  • Photo-first controls - Built for portraits, pet photos, scenery, and camera pictures with soft detail.
  • Private in your browser - Upload and adjust the photo locally before exporting the pixel art result.
  • Cleaner readable shapes - Focus on pixel size, palette, crop, and contrast so the subject still reads clearly.

For logos, screenshots, icons, or mixed image types, use the main converter instead. Use the main image converter

A sunflower photo, converted

The flower stays recognizable while the fine seed and leaf textures become blocks. This example keeps the photo's colors rather than forcing them into a fixed palette.

Source photo

Yellow sunflower with a dark center and green leaves in a camera photograph

960 x 762 px

Downloaded PNG

The same sunflower converted into an 80 by 63 pixel grid

80 x 63 px

Actual conversion: Pixel Size 12; Palette None; dithering off; Brightness, Contrast, and Saturation all 0. No crop or background removal.

Export: PNG, Pixel size, grid off. The 80 x 63 result is shown enlarged here without smoothing; preview zoom does not change the downloaded dimensions.

Photo: Sunflower Public Domain by Don McCulley, CC0. The source is Wikimedia's 960-pixel thumbnail of the original photograph. The result was downloaded from this converter without retouching.

Best photos for this converter

Portraits and profile pictures

Use a face or upper-body photo with enough contrast between the subject and the background.

Pet photos

Choose a photo where the eyes, ears, and outline are easy to see before you reduce detail.

Scenery and objects

Pick pictures with a simple main shape. Busy backgrounds usually need stronger cropping or fewer colors.

Adjust for your photo

Start with the photo, then tune only the settings that make the subject easier to read.

1

Pixel Size 12 suits this 960-pixel-wide example, not every photo. Lower it if eyes or petals disappear; raise it if the texture is still too busy.

2

Start with Palette None to keep skin tones and natural colors. Try a fixed palette for a stylized result, but compare the subject before and after.

3

Keep color adjustments at 0 first. Increase contrast only if the subject blends into the background; crop the source before uploading if it occupies too little of the frame.

How to turn a photo into pixel art

Start with a clear photo or picture, simplify the detail, then export a pixel art version that still keeps the subject easy to recognize.

1

Upload a photo

Choose a portrait, profile picture, pet photo, scenery shot, or other camera image with a clear subject.

2

Simplify the photo

Adjust pixel size, palette, contrast, and dithering until the face, object, or scene reads clearly.

3

Download the pixel art

Export the result as a PNG and check it at the size where you plan to use it.

Explore other converters

General image converter

For logos, screenshots, icons, and mixed image types.

Convert PNG to Pixel Art Online

For PNG graphics with crisp edges or existing transparency.

Convert JPG to Pixel Art Online

For JPEG images with compression artifacts or softened detail.

Photo to Pixel Art FAQ

Can I turn any photo into pixel art?

Yes. This photo to pixel art converter works for portraits, pet photos, landscapes, and other pictures when you adjust pixel size and palette until the main subject stays readable.

What kind of photo works best for pixel art?

A clear photo with one strong subject works best. Simple backgrounds, good contrast, and a visible outline usually create cleaner pixel art.

Is this page different from the main converter?

Yes. This picture to pixel art page is written for photo and picture sources. The main converter is better for logos, screenshots, icons, and mixed image types.