Cheaper to print, cleaner to scan
Converting a colour PDF to grayscale saves colour ink and toner, dodges per-colour-page print-shop charges, and
makes document scans smaller and more legible. Sepia gives the same ink saving with a warmer, easier-on-the-eye
tone. You can preview any page and dial the strength before committing.
By default it works in Keep-text mode: instead of flattening each page to an image, it rewrites the colour
instructions inside the PDF, so text and vector graphics turn grey while staying selectable and searchable — and you
can grey embedded photos too. For scans, which are already a single image, Flatten mode greys everything. It all
happens on your own device, so a confidential contract or statement is never uploaded. To shrink the file
afterwards, try Compress PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Why convert a PDF to grayscale?
Printing in black and white saves colour ink and toner, and grayscale scans of documents are smaller and often more legible. Some print shops also charge per colour page, so a grayscale copy is simply cheaper.
Does the text stay selectable?
Yes, in the default Keep-text mode. Rather than rasterising the page, it rewrites the colour instructions in the PDF so text and vector graphics turn grey but remain real, selectable, searchable text. Turn on “also grey embedded photos” to desaturate pictures as well. For scans (which are already one big image), Flatten mode greys everything.
How does it work without uploading?
Everything — reading the PDF, recolouring it and saving the new file — happens in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server, which is why a confidential contract or statement stays private.