Pixelate Image — Mosaic Any Image, Browser-Side
Pixelate any image (PNG, JPG, WebP) into a mosaic. Adjustable block size. Files never leave your device.
Drop your image here
PNG, JPG, or WebP — up to 50 MB
Pixelating an image — also called mosaicking — reduces fine detail by grouping pixels into uniform-colored blocks. It’s commonly used for censorship (hiding faces, license plates, or sensitive text), creating retro 8-bit/16-bit aesthetics, or generating abstract preview thumbnails. The technique works by downsampling the image to a grid where each cell’s color is the average of its source pixels, then scaling that reduced-resolution canvas back to the original size using nearest-neighbor interpolation.
This tool runs entirely in your browser using the HTML5 Canvas API. You control the block size with a slider (8–48 px), and the effect is computed locally — no file upload, no server processing, no account required. Your image never leaves your device. This makes it a good choice for privacy-sensitive tasks like redacting personal information from screenshots before sharing.
How to use
Drop your image
Drag a PNG, JPG, or WebP file into the drop zone (up to 50 MB). The image is read locally and never leaves your device.
Choose your block size
Use the slider to set the pixel block size from 8 px (subtle mosaic) to 48 px (chunky blocks). The default is 16 px — good for a retro 8-bit look.
Pixelate and download
Click Pixelate to apply the effect. The output file is saved in the same format as the input with a `-converted` suffix.
Frequently asked
What does pixelation actually do?
It downsamples the image into a smaller grid (based on your block size), then scales it back up to the original dimensions with nearest-neighbor interpolation. Each block becomes a uniform color — the average of all pixels in that block.
What block size should I use?
8–12 px gives a subtle mosaic effect. 16–24 px creates a recognizable pixel-art look. 32–48 px produces a very chunky, abstract result. Start at 16 and adjust to taste.
Can I pixelate only part of an image?
Not in v1. For partial pixelation, crop the image first using our image-crop tool, pixelate, then composite the results in a desktop editor.
Is this the same as the 'Mosaic' or 'Pixelate' filter in Photoshop?
Similar. Photoshop's Mosaic filter (Filter → Pixelate → Mosaic) does the same downscale-upscale operation. The visual result is equivalent for the same cell/block size.
Are my images uploaded?
No. All processing happens in your browser via the HTML5 Canvas API. The file never leaves your device.
Why would I pixelate an image?
Common uses: censoring sensitive information (faces, license plates, documents), creating pixel-art style graphics, generating retro game aesthetics, or making a privacy-safe preview of a photo.
Limitations
- No selective pixelationThe entire image is pixelated. You cannot select a region to censor in v1. Use a desktop tool for selective blurs.
- No smart pixelationThis is uniform grid pixelation, not content-aware. It does not detect faces or objects — every block is the same size.
- Lossy recompression for JPGIf your input is JPG, the output is freshly encoded at 92% quality. Loss is minimal but not zero.
Platform notes
- macOS
- Works in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox. Photoshop and Pixelmator have pixelate filters, but this tool requires no install and keeps your files local.
- Windows
- Works in Edge, Chrome, Firefox. MS Paint does not offer pixelation, making this tool a quick, private alternative.
- Linux
- CLI equivalent: `convert input.png -scale 10% -scale 1000% output.png` (ImageMagick). Adjust the scale percentage for different block sizes.
- Web
- Runs entirely client-side. No upload, no server roundtrip. Open in any modern browser.