Image Pixelator — Mosaic Effect for Photos
Apply a chunky pixel/mosaic effect to any photo with adjustable block size. Anonymise faces, license plates, or screen content. Free, browser-only.
Drop a JPG, PNG, or WebP here
Pixelation runs in your browser — image never uploaded
About this tool
WRRK's pixelator applies a classic mosaic effect to any image using the Canvas API. The technique is simple but effective: the source image is downscaled to a fraction of its dimensions (e.g. 1/16th if your block size is 16), then upscaled back with image-smoothing disabled, so each small pixel becomes a sharp coloured square in the output.
The most common reason people pixelate images is privacy — covering faces in photos posted publicly, hiding license plates, anonymising dashboard screenshots before sending to support, or blurring out text in tutorial GIFs. Block size 24-48 px tends to make individual features unrecognisable while still showing the rough silhouette. For artistic effect (retro 8-bit look), 8-16 px works well. Output stays at the same dimensions as the input — width and height never change.
How to pixelate an image (5 steps)
- Drop your image. Add a JPG, PNG, or WebP. Works with any photo, screenshot, or graphic.
- Pick block size. Use the slider (4-64 px). Smaller = more detail, larger = more anonymisation.
- Pick output format. PNG keeps pixel edges crisp. JPG is smaller but slightly softens the mosaic.
- Apply. Click 'Pixelate' to process locally on the Canvas API. Output is the same dimensions as input.
- Download. Save the pixelated image as PNG or JPG. No watermark, no signup.
Use cases
- Anonymise faces in publicly shared photos
- Blur out license plates before posting cars online
- Hide sensitive data in dashboard screenshots
- Pixelate names/messages in WhatsApp screenshots
- Create retro 8-bit-style avatars from photos
- Privacy-redact UI screenshots for bug reports
- Artistic mosaic effect for posts and prints
Frequently asked questions
+−What block size should I use?
For an artistic, retro-pixel look, use 8-16 px. For privacy (hiding faces, license plates, screen content), use 24-48 px — large enough to make features unrecognisable. Anything above 48 px starts looking abstract.
+−Is pixelation truly secure for hiding sensitive info?
It's good for casual privacy on most use cases. However, very small block sizes (under 12 px) on text and known patterns can sometimes be reconstructed by AI tools. For high-stakes secrets, use a solid black redaction box instead — pixelation is irreversible-ish, but redaction is provably irreversible.
+−Can I pixelate just one part of an image?
This tool pixelates the entire image. For region-only pixelation (just a face or just a license plate), crop the region first, pixelate it, then composite back using a photo editor.
+−What output formats are supported?
PNG (lossless, recommended for the chunky mosaic edges) and JPG (smaller file). Use PNG to keep the pixel grid sharp without compression artefacts.
+−Are my photos uploaded to a server?
No. The pixelation runs locally in your browser using the Canvas API. Your photos never leave your device.
+−How does pixelation actually work?
The tool downscales your image to a fraction of its size (e.g. 1/16th), then upscales back to the original dimensions with image-smoothing turned off. Each pixel in the small version becomes a sharp coloured block in the output — that's the 'mosaic' effect.
+−Will the output be the same size as the input?
Yes. Width and height stay identical to the source — only the visual content changes from sharp pixels to chunky blocks.
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