Negative effect · Side by side · Up to 5 images
Invert Image Colors
Every channel.
Its opposite value.
Create a digital negative: red, green and blue each become 255 minus their value. Compare it beside the original, keep the size and transparency, then save JPG, PNG or WebP. This is a full effect, not a calibrated film-negative conversion.
Add images to invert
Drag and drop, paste, or choose up to 5 images.
JPG · PNG · WebP · BMP · GIF · SVG · HEIC · 10 MB each
Checking available output formats…
Choose inverted or original for each image, then invert.
Original and result side by side
Original
Result
Settings guide
One colour operation. A result you can review.
Inversion starts on for each new image. The original stays visible next to the result until you save.
| Control | Behaviour | Recommended use | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invert colours on / off | Replaces red, green and blue with 255 minus their values. | Full effect only | Off shows the original pixels; there is no strength slider. |
| Original and result previews | Show both versions side by side, fitted to the workspace. | Compare details | A checkerboard marks transparent areas in both previews. |
| All inverted / All original | Gives every image the same on or off state. | Consistent batch | A mixed batch becomes all on or all off. |
| Output format and quality | A JPG photo is saved as JPG unless you pick another format; other images start as PNG. WebP appears when supported. | PNG for transparency | JPG fills transparent areas with white; quality affects JPG and WebP only. |
| Invert / Invert all | Creates the file for one image, or for each image in turn. | Inspect before saving | Switching inversion or changing the format clears the earlier file. |
| Download ZIP | Collects all ready files in one archive. | ZIP for 2+ files | Images not ready are left out; repeated names get a number. |
The pixel rule
Subtract from 255. Leave transparency alone.
R′ = 255 − R · G′ = 255 − G · B′ = 255 − B. The rule applies to the colour values your browser decodes. It does not invert transparency or perform a calibrated film or print conversion.
| Opaque input RGB | Output RGB | Visible relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 0, 0, 0 | 255, 255, 255 | Black → white |
| 255, 0, 0 | 0, 255, 255 | Red → cyan |
| 0, 255, 0 | 255, 0, 255 | Green → magenta |
| 20, 100, 240 | 235, 155, 15 | Each channel is inverted independently |
These are exact values for opaque pixels saved as PNG. Partly transparent pixels can round in the browser, and JPG or WebP compression can shift values slightly.
Before & after
The same framing. Opposite colours.
These images illustrate the negative effect. Labels and dates inside the screenshots belong to the illustration, not to your current result.
Processing notes
Original and result share one decoded source
Both previews and the saved file come from the same decoded copy of your image, which is never changed.
What happens to your images
Know the effect
A digital negative. Not every negative workflow.
| Use | Recommended settings | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| A colour-negative look for a design | Inversion on · JPG for photos, PNG for graphics | Hue and brightness change together; this is not a brightness adjustment. |
| White lines on black from black-on-white artwork | Inversion on · PNG | A transparent background stays transparent, so check it on the background where it will be used. |
| A dark-background version of a scanned page or diagram | Inversion on · PNG or JPG | Scan grain and paper tone invert too; brighten or crop afterwards if needed. |
| Notice how colours relate | Compare the two previews | The comparison does not calculate contrast ratios or certify accessibility. |
| Scanned film negatives | Use a dedicated film workflow | Film needs orange-mask removal and colour calibration that this tool does not do. |
Output notes
Keep the size. Save new pixel data.
Three output formats
JPG keeps photos small, PNG saves exact values and transparency, and WebP is offered when your browser can create it.
Transparency is kept in PNG and WebP
No background is added. Viewers may show the same file over white, black or a checkerboard; JPG fills transparent areas with white.
An "original" file is still a new file
With inversion off, the tool saves a fresh copy of the decoded pixels; it is not a byte-for-byte copy of your JPG, GIF or SVG.
One ZIP for ready files
The archive keeps each file's -inverted or -original ending. Packing files into a ZIP does not make the pictures smaller.
Troubleshooting
Check the pixel state. Then the viewer.
The result looks like the original
Inversion may be switched off for that image.
- Check that the button reads Inversion on.
- Use All inverted to switch every image on.
- Press Invert image again after switching.
A transparent area did not turn white
Transparency is not inverted, so fully transparent pixels stay invisible.
- View the PNG on a coloured background.
- Choose JPG if you want a white fill instead.
- The preview checkerboard is not saved.
A film scan looks wrong
A simple 255-minus inversion ignores film masks and scanner calibration.
- Use software made for film negatives.
- Expect an orange or blue cast from colour film.
- Black-and-white negatives usually work better.
The ready download disappeared
Switching inversion or changing the format or quality clears the earlier file.
- Press Invert image or Invert all again.
- Only finished images go into the ZIP.
- Failed images are named in the message above.
Inversion questions
Before you save the negative
How do I invert the colours of an image?
Add an image; inversion is already on and the result appears next to the original. Choose JPG, PNG or WebP, press Invert image, then inspect or download the file. Switch inversion off to compare with the original pixels. Your source file is never changed.
What does the inversion formula do?
For every pixel, red becomes 255 − red, green becomes 255 − green and blue becomes 255 − blue; transparency is not inverted. Opaque black becomes white, red becomes cyan, and 20, 100, 240 becomes 235, 155, 15. It works on decoded colour values, not a colour-managed photo workflow.
How is inverting different from making an image grayscale?
Inverting swaps each colour channel for its opposite, so the result usually stays colourful. Grayscale mixes the channels into shades of gray. This tool applies no gray conversion, threshold, contrast curve or partial-strength blend.
Can this turn scanned film negatives into accurate photos?
It can reverse a basic digital negative, but it does not remove the orange mask of colour film, balance scanner channels or apply a film profile. For accurate prints from film scans, use software made for that job.
What happens to transparent and semi-transparent pixels?
Transparency is kept as it is, so invisible areas stay invisible and semi-transparent areas keep their opacity in PNG and WebP. JPG cannot store transparency, so those areas are filled with white after inverting. Colour values of semi-transparent pixels can round slightly in the browser.
Which images can I invert, and what are the size limits?
You can invert JPG/JPEG, PNG, WebP, BMP, GIF, HEIC/HEIF and self-contained SVG images, up to five at once and 10 MB each. Each image may be up to 20 MP and 16,384 px per side, with 40 MP across all images and 96 MB per saved file. SVG files need a pixel width and height.
Does the saved file keep the original size and metadata?
It keeps the same pixel width and height with no crop, resize, rotation or margin. It is a newly encoded file, even with inversion off, so the original bytes, metadata, layers and colour profile are not kept.
How do All inverted and All original behave?
All inverted switches inversion on for every image and All original switches it off; both set the same state for the whole batch. Each image still has its own on/off button. Invert all creates the files one by one and reports how many succeeded or failed.
Can I save every inverted image in one go?
Yes. Download ZIP puts all ready files in one archive without re-encoding them. If only some are ready, the button shows the count and the rest are left out. File names end in -inverted or -original, repeated names get a number, and each file can still be downloaded on its own.
Why did my inverted file or the ZIP disappear?
Switching inversion or changing the format or quality clears that image's earlier file and the ZIP so an outdated result is not saved. Press Invert again. Renaming keeps the file but rebuilds the ZIP. Reset this image turns inversion back on with the default format and quality.
Why can the preview differ from the saved file?
Both previews are reduced to fit 900 pixels, while the file uses the full size. Reduction, semi-transparent edges, browser colour handling, JPG or WebP compression and your viewer's background can all change how fine detail looks. Inspect result shows the real file.
Is my image sent anywhere when I invert it?
No. Inverting, saving and zipping all happen in your browser, and your images are not sent to our server. A HEIC photo your browser cannot open on its own triggers a one-time decoder download from jsDelivr, which never includes your image. Clear all frees the images from this page.
Can I stop inverting, and which GIF frame is used?
Stop cancels the image currently being processed and skips the remaining ones; finished files stay available. A GIF is inverted as the single frame the browser decodes, without animation or a frame picker. SVG becomes pixels, and editable vectors are not kept.
Ready to compare the opposite colours?
Jump back to your images, or open the image tools list.