Runs in your browser with pdf.js and pdf-lib
Invert PDF Colors Online — a dark version for reading, with text you can still select
Turn white pages dark for reading at night, or a dark-background file light. Pick a classic negative or a softer dark look, choose the pages, and see every page before you save.
- PDF files aren't uploaded to our server
- Text stays selectable
- Classic, soft or custom dark
- Same page size, links kept
Invert PDF colors
Add a PDF, pick a dark look, check every page, then save a new copy. Text stays selectable.
Drop your PDF here
or browse — one PDF, any number of pages
Colors
How and where
Good to know
Your pages
Each page as it will look. Click a page to see it full size.
How it works
A dark page that is still a real PDF
By default the page isn't turned into a picture. A color layer is added over it that flips light and dark, so the text, links and page size stay as they were.
What you can do
- Make a classic negative, a softer dark gray, a warm dark, or your own page and text colors.
- Keep text selectable and searchable, with the same page size and working links.
- Invert all pages, odd or even pages, or only the ones you type, so photo pages can stay as they are.
- Save pages as images instead, for e-readers and apps that don't show color layers.
What it doesn't do
- Keep photos in their colors. Pictures are inverted too and look like negatives; leave those pages out.
- Keep form fields editable on inverted pages. They become part of the page so they are inverted too.
- Change the colors one by one, such as only the headings. Every color on the page is flipped the same way.
- Open password-protected PDFs. Unlock them first.
How to invert PDF colors in four steps
Add, pick colors, check, save.
Add your PDF
Drop the PDF onto the upload area, or click Select PDF. Every page appears below, already shown inverted.
Pick the colors
- Classic negative for the strongest contrast.
- Soft or warm dark for long reading.
- Custom to choose your own.
Choose the pages
Invert every page, or type the pages so photo pages stay in color. Untick Show inverted to compare with the original.
The page list shows exactly how the saved file will look.
Save and download
Click Invert PDF. The preview is drawn from the saved file; rename it if you like and download it.
PDF color inversion: before and after
A text-heavy page, before and after a classic negative.
What to choose for your job
Common reasons to invert a PDF and the settings that fit.
| Job | What matters | What to choose |
|---|---|---|
| Read a book or paper at night | Less glare, searchable text. | Soft dark or Warm dark, Keep text selectable. |
| Read on an e-reader or older app | The page shows dark in that app. | Make pages images, 150 dpi. |
| Print slides that have a dark background | Less ink, readable on paper. | Classic negative; the dark background turns light. |
| A report with photo pages | Photos keep their colors. | Pages I type, listing only the text pages. |
| Inspect a drawing or scan | Faint lines stand out. | Classic negative, zoom in with the full-size view. |
| Match a dark app or brand | Exact colors. | Custom, with your page and text colors. |
The details
What each setting actually does
So the saved file holds no surprises.
Classic negative
Every color is flipped: white to black, black to white, red to cyan, blue to yellow. Gray stays gray.
Soft, warm and custom
The page is flipped, then white turns into the page color you chose and black into the text color, so contrast is gentler than pure black and white.
Keep text selectable
Color layers with PDF blend modes go over each page. Browsers, Adobe Acrobat and most PDF apps show them; the file stays small.
Make pages images
Each chosen page is drawn at the resolution you pick, recolored and saved as one JPEG picture at the same page size. Works in every app; text can't be selected.
Links, comments, fields
Links keep working. Comments and form fields on inverted pages become part of the page so they are inverted too; on other pages they stay as they are.
The rest of the file
Page size, turned and cropped pages, bookmarks and document properties are kept. Pages you didn't pick aren't changed at all.
When the inverted file isn't what you expected
Identify the problem, then use the matching fix.
One app shows a white or unchanged page
That app doesn't draw PDF blend modes, which Keep text selectable uses.
Save again with Make pages images.
Photos look like film negatives
Every color on an inverted page is flipped, pictures included.
Choose Pages I type and leave the photo pages out.
Text is hard to read
Custom page and text colors are too close, or the original text was light gray.
Use Classic negative, or pick colors further apart; the tool warns when they are too close.
Printing uses a lot of ink
An inverted white page is a dark page.
Print the original. Invert for printing only when the original has a dark background.
The file got much bigger
Make pages images stores each page as a picture.
Use Keep text selectable, or a lower resolution such as 100 dpi.
A password-protected PDF won't open
Encrypted PDFs can't be rewritten by the in-browser PDF libraries.
Remove the password with Unlock PDF, then add the unlocked copy.
Tips for a cleaner PDF inversion
A working order that avoids the most common redo.
Try Soft dark for long reading
Pure white text on black can look harsh; a dark gray page is easier on the eyes for hours.
Leave photo pages out
Type only the text pages, so pictures keep their real colors.
Open the file where you'll read it
Check the saved file in your reading app once. If it shows white pages, save again as images.
Check small print full size
Open a page in the full-size view and zoom in; thin lines and small text show whether the colors work.
Fill forms before inverting
Form fields on inverted pages stop being editable, so fill them in first.
Keep the original
The saved file is a new PDF. Keep the original to print or to try other colors later.
PDF color inversion questions
If something's not covered here, the troubleshooting section above likely has it.
Will the text still be selectable after inverting?
Yes, with Keep text selectable. The pages aren't turned into pictures; a color layer is added over them, so text can still be selected, searched and copied. With Make pages images, each inverted page becomes one picture and its text can't be selected.
What is the difference between Classic negative and Soft dark?
Classic negative flips every color, so white becomes pure black and black becomes pure white. Soft dark, Warm dark and Custom flip the page the same way, then turn white into a dark page color and black into a light text color, which is gentler for long reading.
Why does the inverted PDF look white in one app?
Keep text selectable uses PDF blend modes. Browsers, Adobe Acrobat and most PDF apps draw them, but a few e-readers and older apps don't. Save the file again with Make pages images, which works everywhere.
Can I invert only some pages?
Yes. Choose odd or even pages, or type numbers and ranges such as 1, 3-5, 8-. Pages you leave out are not changed at all.
What happens to photos and images?
They are inverted with the rest of the page and look like film negatives. To keep photos in their real colors, leave those pages out with Pages I type.
Do links, comments and form fields still work?
Links keep working. Comments and form fields on inverted pages are made part of the page so that they are inverted too, which means those form fields can no longer be filled in. On pages you don't invert they stay as they are.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The PDF is opened, inverted and saved in your browser with pdf.js and pdf-lib; it is not uploaded to our server. Password-protected PDFs need to be unlocked first.
Build notes
The write-up on inverting PDF colors in the browser
I wrote a tutorial on building a browser-based PDF color inverter with pdf.js, the Canvas API and pdf-lib, with no server involved.
How to Build a Browser-Based PDF Color Inverter Tool Using JavaScript
Covers rendering pages with pdf.js, flipping pixel colors with the Canvas API, and building the downloadable file with pdf-lib.