What's the difference between grayscale and monochrome?

Grayscale uses 256 shades of gray, preserving smooth gradients and details. Monochrome uses only pure black and white pixels (no gray), creating a high-contrast effect similar to photocopies. Choose grayscale for photos and detailed graphics, monochrome for text documents and simple diagrams.

How much will my file size reduce?

Typical reduction: 30-50% for grayscale, 40-60% for monochrome. Actual reduction depends on original color content. Enable compression for additional 10-20% reduction. Photos and colorful graphics see the most reduction.

Which quality level should I choose?

High: Best quality, minimal compression (for printing). Medium: Balanced quality and file size (recommended for most uses). Low: Smallest file size, more compression (for web/email).

Is converting to grayscale safe?

Yes, completely safe. All processing happens in your browser using WebAssembly. No files are uploaded to servers. Original files are never modified. The conversion is permanent in output files.

Can I convert back to color?

No, color information is permanently removed during conversion. Grayscale PDFs cannot be converted back to color. Always keep a backup of your original color PDF if you might need it later.

PDFyogi

PDF to Grayscale

Convert color PDFs to grayscale or black & white (monochrome) using Ghostscript. Reduce file sizes by removing color information, prepare documents for black & white printing, or create professional monochrome documents.

or Drag & drop files here

Max 20 files•Max file size: 100MB

Supported formats: .pdf, application/pdf

Convert PDF to Grayscale or Black & White

Transform color PDFs into grayscale or monochrome (black & white) documents using advanced Ghostscript technology. Perfect for reducing file sizes (30-50% smaller), preparing documents for black & white printing, creating professional monochrome documents, or archival purposes. Process files entirely in your browser with optional compression to further reduce file size.

Key Features:

✓Convert to grayscale (256 shades of gray) or monochrome (pure black & white)
✓Reduce file size by 30-50% by removing color information
✓Batch convert up to 20 files simultaneously (100MB each)
✓Choose quality level: High, Medium, or Low to balance quality vs file size
✓Optional compression to further reduce file size after conversion
✓100% browser-based processing with WebAssembly
✓Complete privacy - files never uploaded to servers

How to convert PDF to grayscale:

Upload color PDF files (up to 20 files, 100MB each)
Choose conversion mode (grayscale or monochrome) and quality level
Click "Convert to Grayscale" to remove color
Download converted files individually or as ZIP

Your Privacy is Protected

All conversions happen locally in your browser. Your files never leave your device and are automatically deleted when you close this page.

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Your Privacy is Our Priority

Unlike other PDF tools, we process your files directly in your browser using WebAssembly technology. This means your sensitive documents never leave your device.

Browser Processing

Processing happens in your browser

No File Uploads

No files uploaded to our servers

No Storage

We don't permanently store your files

Complete Privacy

Your files never leave your device during processing

100% Privacy Guarantee

We use cutting-edge WebAssembly technology to process your PDFs entirely within your browser. No uploads to our servers, no data collection, no privacy concerns. Just pure, local processing power.

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How Our Privacy-First Technology Works

WebAssembly Processing

We use WebAssembly (WASM) to run PDF processing libraries directly in your browser, eliminating the need to upload files to external servers.

Local Storage Only

Files are temporarily stored in your browser's memory during processing and automatically cleared when you close the tab or complete the task.

No Data Collection

We don't track, store, or analyze your file contents. Our analytics only measure tool usage patterns, not personal data.

GDPR Compliant

Our privacy-first approach means we're automatically compliant with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations worldwide.

PDF to Grayscale Online - Convert PDF to Black & White Free | PDFyogi