Pixelate

📖 Tool Introduction

Pixelate is an in-browser mosaic tool that does two jobs at once: it can turn an ordinary photo into a charming retro pixel-art picture, and it can quickly mask away the sensitive details you do not want to share. Its engine follows the classic two-stage downsampling recipe. First the source image is smoothly reduced to a small canvas whose width and height are divided by the chosen block size, then that tiny canvas is enlarged back to the original size with image smoothing switched off. The result is exactly what a proper mosaic should look like: every block holds one flat, even color with razor-sharp edges. The block size slides continuously from 2 to 64 pixels, and the big numeric readout in the side panel always tells you the current edge length at a glance. Four quick presets at 4, 8, 16 and 32 pixels let you jump straight to popular levels, and a toggle overlays a thin white grid only in the preview so you can inspect the block boundaries; the exported PNG never carries those helper lines. Use small blocks to cover ID numbers, license plates and faces before publishing a screenshot, or push the blocks large and watch a normal photo turn into an eight-bit game frame. Because every calculation happens in your own memory, even sensitive images can be processed without leaving the device, and the tool switches automatically between Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese and English while following the site theme on desktop and mobile. Typical uses are easy to picture. Blocks of eight pixels are the classic choice for hiding a license plate, a street sign or a face in a candid frame, and because the tiles are hard-edged rather than soft, any guess at the original color of a region leaves only its dominant tone. Blocks of thirty-two pixels turn a holiday snapshot into a sprite from an eight-bit console, which is popular for avatar packs and retro art. The optional grid overlay exists purely as an inspection aid: while you tune the size it shows exactly where each tile boundary falls, and it vanishes the moment you export. A single tap swaps between the four sizes, so you can compare levels in seconds rather than retyping numbers. Whatever you choose, the original file on your disk is never touched — the mosaic is a brand-new PNG you decide to keep.

✨ Key Features

• Infinitely adjustable blocks: 2 to 64 pixels with a clear numeric readout
• Classic two-stage downsampling: smooth shrink then hard upscale gives even, crisp blocks
• Four quick presets: one tap switches between 4 / 8 / 16 / 32 levels
• Grid overlay: thin helper lines in preview only, stripped from the export
• Live preview: repaints instantly as you drag, pixel changes are obvious
• Fully local: nothing leaves the browser, safe for masking private details

📝 How to Use

1. Click the left drop zone to upload, or drag an image straight onto it
2. Drag the block-size slider and watch the mosaic density change in the preview
3. Tap the 4 / 8 / 16 / 32 presets whenever you want a known level fast
4. Tick the grid overlay to see every block boundary clearly
5. Click Export PNG to save the pixelated image

⚠️ Notes

• Irreversible effect: pixelation destroys detail for good, keep your original
• Mask strength: blocks should clearly exceed the sensitive area to defeat restoration
• Working size: huge images are scaled to a 2048px long edge before processing
• Helper lines: the grid is preview-only and never appears in the exported PNG
• Original stays safe: all math happens in memory, the local file is untouched