# Pixelate Image Online

> A free online tool that pixelates (mosaic) a whole picture or up to 10 boxes you draw, with blocks of 2 to 200 px, and saves it as PNG, JPEG, WebP or GIF; only the solid block mode safely hides information.

Pixelate Image files in a few steps with this free online tool. Use it to hide a face, cover a detail, or give a photo a retro pixel look. You choose the mosaic block size and can apply the effect to the whole picture or only to boxes you draw.

## Key facts

- Input: one picture up to 5 MB in the free tool and 10 MB when signed in, and up to 16 MP (4096 x 4096); animated GIF and WebP keep their frames within the animation limits.
- Settings: the mosaic block size (2 to 200 px, default 16), the whole picture or boxes you draw (pixels outside the boxes do not change), save as the same type, PNG, JPEG, WebP or GIF, and quality for JPEG and WebP; the Mode list also offers blur and solid block.
- A small mosaic can be undone or guessed (the tool warns under 12 px), so a face, a number or a plate should be covered with big blocks or the solid block mode; there is no automatic face or text detection.
- In our test a generated 800 x 560 px PNG of 33 KB became a PNG of 11 KB with block 16 on the whole picture and 22 KB with block 20 in one face box; the test pictures were generated by our scripts and results vary.
- Free without an account: up to 10 conversions per minute and 50 per day per visitor, no watermark. Signed in, each render costs 1 credit (100 free credits every month).
- Files are deleted automatically: 10 minutes after conversion without an account, 1 day with a free account.
- Developers can run the same job with POST https://api.aiipworld.com/v1/image-jobs?op=image_edit (the image as the request body, settings in the query string) and an API key (see the API docs page).

## How it works

1. Drop your picture into the box, or select it from your device. Check the preview and the file size.
2. Keep the Mode set to Mosaic (pixelate), or pick Blur or Solid block.
3. Choose "The whole picture", or choose "Chosen areas" and draw one or more boxes over the part you want to change.
4. Set the mosaic block size with the slider or the box, then click "Pixelate image".
5. Check the result panel and the preview, then save the file in the format you need.

## How to Pixelate Image Files with this tool

Start with the picture you want to change. Drop it into the drop zone, and the tool shows a preview with the file size. Accepted types are PNG, JPG, WebP, AVIF, GIF, BMP and TIFF.

The tool opens with Mode set to Mosaic (pixelate). Click "Pixelate image" when your settings are ready. The result panel shows the picture, its size, and what was done to it.

Your original file on your device is never changed. You can run the tool again with other settings to compare results.

## Pixelate part of a picture: draw boxes

Select "Chosen areas" under "Apply to" if you only want to change part of the picture. Then drag on the preview to draw a box. You can drag a box to move it, drag a corner to resize it, or type its Left, Top, Width and Height in pixels of the original.

You can add up to 10 boxes, and boxes may overlap. Use "Remove all boxes" to start again. The counter shows how many boxes you have out of the maximum.

A box that goes outside the picture is refused, not shrunk. At least one box is needed when "Chosen areas" is selected. Pixels outside the boxes are not changed.

## Mosaic block size: what the numbers do

The block size sets how big each square of color is. It ranges from 2 to 200 px, and the default is 16 px. Each block becomes the average color of the pixels inside it.

Small blocks keep more detail, but they can leave shapes recognisable. When the block is smaller than 12 px, the tool shows a warning. Blocks at the right or bottom edge that do not fit are made smaller.

In our tests on a poster we drew ourselves, a block of 16 px on the whole picture gave a PNG of 11 KB, while a block of 40 px gave 9.5 KB. Results vary with the picture.

## Pixelate face: how to hide a face

Draw a box around the face only, then choose a block size large enough that the face cannot be recognised. Check the result yourself before you share it. A small block can leave a face recognisable.

In our test, a box of 246 x 246 px at x 101, y 101 with a block of 20 px was saved as a 22 KB PNG. The text outside the box stayed readable. Your own picture may need bigger blocks.

For a name or number on an ID card or license plate, a solid block is the safer choice.

## Censor image details: mosaic or solid block

Mosaic is useful for softening a detail. For hiding private information, a solid block removes the content in the box for good. Mosaic with big blocks, about a third of the text height or more, is the other option.

The Solid block mode covers the box with one flat color. In our test, a solid block over a sign gave a 26 KB PNG.

The tool always shows a warning above the Mode list: blur is not a safe way to hide private information. Use a solid block to cover an ID number, a card number or a license plate.

## Pixelate image for a retro pixel look

Leave "The whole picture" selected and use big blocks. This gives a low-resolution, pixel art style. The picture size in pixels does not change.

Block sizes such as 16 px or 40 px give clear, flat blocks. Try a few values and compare the results in the preview.

Measurements were made on pictures we generated, not on real photographs. Your picture may give different file sizes.

## Choose the file format

"Same as the original" is the default and keeps the file type of your picture. A GIF stays a GIF. BMP and TIFF are saved as PNG, and AVIF is saved as WebP.

You can also choose PNG, which is lossless, JPEG, WebP or GIF. The Quality slider from 1 to 100 applies to JPEG and WebP, and its default is 90.

In our test, a 27 KB JPEG pixelated on the whole picture with a block of 16 px was saved as a 3.4 KB JPEG at the same 800 x 560 px size.

## Animated GIF and WebP

For an animated GIF or WebP, tick "Keep the animation: all frames and the same timing" to keep the motion. Every frame uses the same boxes.

If you leave the box unticked, the result is a single picture. Check which option you need before you run the tool.

Results vary with the file. Review the result panel after each run.

## Limits: file size and pixels

Each picture can be up to 5 MB in the free web tool, and up to 16 MP (4096 x 4096). Signed-in users can upload up to 10 MB per picture.

A result can be up to 40 MP in one picture, and 20 MB of file. WebP results can be up to 16,383 px on a side. A result over these limits is refused, not shrunk.

Pictures over the pixel limit are refused before they are decoded. Camera and location tags are not written to the result.

## Image pixelator from code

Use the API when you want to pixelate images in your own software. Send a POST request to https://api.aiipworld.com/v1/image-jobs?op=image_edit&action=blur with the raw picture bytes as the body, not JSON or multipart. Set the Content-Type to image/png, image/jpeg, image/webp, image/gif, image/avif, image/bmp or image/tiff.

Settings go in the query string, and unknown names are rejected. Send your API key in the Authorization header as Bearer, or in x-api-key. The response is 202 with a job_id. Poll GET /v1/jobs/:id until the job is done, then download the result from the short-lived download_url.

The tool page shows a ready cURL, Node and Python example below it, built from the settings you chose. One request makes one result. Errors include 400 invalid_params, 400 unsupported_image, 413 file_too_large, 402 insufficient_credits and 429 rate limited. Full details are at /docs/#image-jobs.

## Privacy: what happens to your picture

Your picture is sent to our server, where it is processed with sharp, built on the libvips library. Use only pictures you have the right to use, as set out in our Acceptable Use Policy.

The uploaded picture is used only to make the result. The working copy is deleted as soon as the job ends, whether it succeeds or fails. The result in the free web tool is deleted after 10 minutes. Download links are short-lived.

A record of each job is kept. Signed-in users see their jobs in the dashboard.

## Questions

### Can I pixelate an image for free?

Yes, the free web tool lets you pixelate an image without a paid plan. Anonymous use needs a human check, and you can run up to 30 jobs per day per visitor without an account.

### How to pixelate an image?

Drop your picture into the tool, keep the Mosaic mode, and click "Pixelate image". Then check the result panel and save the file in the format you need.

### Can I pixelate only one part of a picture?

Yes. Choose "Chosen areas" and draw up to 10 boxes over the part you want to change. Pixels outside the boxes stay the same.

### How do I pixelate a face?

Draw a box around the face and use a block size big enough that the face cannot be recognised. Then check the result yourself, since a small block can leave a face recognisable.

### Is pixelating safe for hiding private information?

Not always. Mosaic can sometimes be undone or guessed, especially with small blocks. For IDs, card numbers or license plates, use the Solid block mode.

### What block size should I use?

Start with the default of 16 px. Use bigger blocks, such as 40 px or more, when you need to hide detail. Blocks under 12 px show a warning.

### What is the difference between pixelate and blur?

Pixelate replaces each square block with one average color, while blur smooths the picture with a Gaussian blur. Both are in the Mode list of this tool, and the Blur Image page opens with Blur selected.

### Does the tool find faces by itself?

No. There is no automatic face or text detection. You draw the boxes yourself.

### Can I pixelate an animated GIF?

Yes. Tick "Keep the animation: all frames and the same timing" for an animated GIF or WebP. Every frame uses the same boxes.

### Can I pixelate images in my own code?

Yes. Use the image_edit operation of the image jobs API with the raw picture bytes. The tool page shows a ready cURL, Node and Python example for your settings.

## Related

- [Blur Image Online](https://aiipworld.com/tools/blur-image/index.md)
- [Circle Crop Image](https://aiipworld.com/tools/circle-crop-image/index.md)
- [Crop PNG Online](https://aiipworld.com/tools/crop-png/index.md)
- [PFP Cropper: Make a Circle Profile Picture](https://aiipworld.com/tools/pfp-cropper/index.md)

Page: https://aiipworld.com/tools/pixelate-image/