Convert a PDF to grayscale
Make a PDF black and white – for printing or offices that don’t want colour.
- Stays on your device
- No limits
- No watermark
- No account
How can I check that nothing is uploaded?
Your files are processed in this browser tab. This page has no function that sends files to a server, and its security rules (Content Security Policy) forbid connections to other servers.
Check it yourself: load this page, then switch on flight mode or disconnect Wi-Fi and run the tool. It still works – because everything happens on your device.
Good to know
How it works – step by step
Choose a PDF
Pick one or more PDFs.
Choose the method
“Keep text and graphics” converts the colours inside the file itself – recommended. “Everything as gray images” turns every page into a gray picture.
Convert and save
Tap “Convert to grayscale”. Every page is then checked for leftover colour, and you download the result.
Why FaLe?
Text stays text
Colours are converted right inside the PDF. Text stays crisp, searchable and copyable.
Images and shapes, too
Photos, logos, areas, lines, many gradients and form fields turn gray – also colours in print colours (CMYK).
Checked, not hoped
After converting, every page is looked at. If colour is left anywhere, only that page is taken over as a gray image – and you are told.
Several files at once
Choose several PDFs at once. You get each one separately or all together as a ZIP.
| FaLe Tools | Typical online tools | |
|---|---|---|
| Where are files processed? | In your browser, on your device | Usually on the provider’s server – the file is uploaded |
| Account needed? | No | Often for larger files or more runs |
| Limits | No artificial limits | Often daily limits or size caps in the free version |
| Watermark | Never | With some providers in the free version |
| Works offline | Yes, after the first visit | No |
| Ads and tracking | None | Often banner ads and analytics services |
Frequently asked questions
Are my files uploaded?
No. The conversion runs completely in your browser and your PDFs never leave your device.
Does the text stay searchable?
Yes, with “Keep text and graphics”. Only pages that can’t be converted directly are taken over as images – which ones is shown under the result. With “Everything as gray images”, text can never be selected.
What can’t be converted directly?
For example certain gradients made of many triangles, JPEG 2000 images or unusual colour spaces. The check detects such pages and they become 150 dpi gray images.
Does the file get smaller?
Often yes, because gray images need less data. With photos that were stored as JPEG, the file can also grow a little, since images are stored losslessly. “Compress PDF” helps afterwards.
How light does a colour become in gray?
Every colour is converted by its brightness, just like a black-and-white photo. Yellow becomes light gray, dark blue dark gray.
More features in the FaLe PDF app
Sign, fill in forms, scan with text recognition and more than 40 other tools – free, no account and offline, too.