The short answer
Why use Pixelate?
A pixelated photo works as a retro game look, a teaser that hides a reveal, or a background that keeps the colors but drops the detail. Shrinking and enlarging in an editor needs the right resampling setting; here it is one slider.
Block size is driven by one Amount slider, 0 to 100, set to 50 when the page opens. The picture is shrunk so each block becomes one pixel, which averages the colors, then enlarged again with smoothing switched off, which gives hard square edges. Block size is Amount divided by 3 at a 1400 pixel long side and grows on larger photos. At 0 a block is one pixel and nothing changes.
The image width rarely divides evenly by the block size, so blocks can differ by a pixel across the picture. At low amounts, large text and faces can still be recognized, so for hiding something, go high or use a tool made for redaction. Transparent areas mix into the averaged colors at their edges.
Mosaic uses the same block sizes but draws dark grout lines between the tiles, so it looks like a tiled wall rather than a low-resolution screen. Blur Face is the right tool for hiding one part of a photo. For a retro look with fewer colors as well, run Dithering or Posterize after pixelating.
Where Pixelate fits
Reveal teasers
Post a heavily pixelated version of a new product photo before the launch day.
Quiz games
Make guess-the-picture rounds by pixelating photos at a few different Amounts.
Retro thumbnails
Give a video thumbnail a blocky video-game style to match a retro theme.
Start to finish
How to use Pixelate
- 01Tap Choose image, or Paste from clipboard to work on a screenshot.
- 02Drag Amount up from 50 for chunkier blocks or down for finer ones; the preview redraws as you move it.
- 03Tap Apply changes when the block size looks right, then tap Download result.
What to expect from Pixelate
| Check | What it means here |
|---|---|
| Supported input | JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, SVG and browser-supported AVIF images |
| Main controls | Amount slider, plus a color picker for effects that need one |
| Output | A PNG image with the effect applied |
| Working limit | 50 MB and 50 megapixels per image |
Pixelate tips
- Amount 90 to 100 makes blocks around 30 pixels, enough to turn faces into color patches.
- For a game sprite look, use a small image; blocks are relative to the long side.
- Pixelation covers the whole picture; to hide one name, use Blur Face instead.
- Run Posterize afterwards to cut the number of colors for a stronger 8-bit feel.
Pixelate FAQ
Something missing? Ask us.
How big are the blocks?
Can I pixelate just a face?
Does Pixelate upload my file?
Is Pixelate free to use?
Why did Pixelate fail or look wrong?
Related tools
More in Filters & Effects.