Grayscale PDF
Make a PDF print in black and white.
The colour is switched off, not removed — the original colour data stays in the file. Use this for printing, not for stripping colour permanently.
Turn a colour PDF grey for printing. Unlike tools that render every page to an image, this keeps the text as text — so the file stays small, searchable and sharp.
How to use it
- Add the PDF.
- Press Convert to grayscale.
- Download the result and print it.
Why use this tool
Completely private
Everything runs inside your browser. Your files and text are never sent to a server.
Free, with no limits
No sign-up, no watermarks and no cap on how many times you can use it.
Instant results
There is no upload or queue to wait for, so results appear as fast as your device can work.
Works on any device
Runs in any modern browser on phone, tablet or desktop. Nothing to install.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the colour actually removed?
- No, and this is the important part. The colour is switched off for display and printing, but the original colour data is still inside the file. Do not use this to redact colour-coded information — use it to save ink.
- Why not just print in black and white?
- You can, when you control the printer. This is for when you do not: sending a file to a print shop, a colleague, or a system that charges by the colour page.
- Does the text stay selectable?
- Yes. The page is not converted to an image, so text remains selectable and searchable, and the file size hardly changes.
- Will every viewer show it in grey?
- Every current viewer and printer will. The effect relies on a standard PDF blend mode, and a very old viewer that ignores blend modes would show the original colours.