What does inverting an image do?

It replaces every colour with its opposite on the colour wheel. Technically, each red, green and blue value is subtracted from 255 — so a bright pixel becomes dark and vice versa. The result is the same as a photographic negative.

Can I use this to turn a film negative into a positive?

Yes. Scanning a colour or black-and-white negative and inverting it here recovers a positive image. Colour negatives also have an orange film base, so you may want to adjust the tone afterwards, but inverting is the essential first step.

Will inverting twice return the original?

Yes. Inversion is its own reverse — invert an already-inverted image and you get the original colours back exactly.

Does inverting change the image size or resolution?

No. The pixel dimensions stay identical; only the colour values change. Use the Resize or Compress tools if you also need a different size.

What format do I get back?

The tool keeps your source format where it can — JPG stays JPG, PNG stays PNG (with transparency preserved), WebP stays WebP.

Are my photos uploaded?

No. The inversion runs entirely in your browser using the Canvas API, so your image never leaves your device.

Does it work on mobile?

Yes, in any modern browser on Android or iOS, with all processing done on-device.

Invert Image Colors Online Free

Invert the colours of any image so every pixel becomes its exact opposite — black flips to white, red to cyan, blue to orange. It's the classic photographic "negative" effect, and it's handy for reading scanned film negatives, creating a dark-mode version of a diagram, checking contrast, or just for a striking artistic look. Upload an image and the inverted result appears instantly.

Your files never leave your device. All processing happens locally in your browser.

Drag & drop your image here

or click to browse

Files never leave your device

Up to 50MB per file

Why use this tool

True Colour Negative

Every channel is flipped to its exact complement (255 minus its value), so you get an accurate negative, not an approximation — perfect for reversing scanned film.

Instant Preview

The inverted image appears the moment you drop a file in, with no settings to fiddle with. What you see is exactly what downloads.

100% Private

Files are processed entirely in your browser using the Canvas and WebAssembly APIs. Nothing is ever uploaded to a server.

Free Forever

No account, no watermark, no daily limits. Every tool on PixelResize is free to use as often as you like.

How to invert image colors

1
Upload a JPG, PNG or WebP image.
2
The colours are inverted automatically.
3
Check the negative in the live preview.
4
Download your inverted image.

Frequently asked questions

Related tools & sizes

How to Invert Image Colors — and When It's Actually Useful

Inverting colours isn't just an art-class trick. It rescues scanned film, flips diagrams for dark mode, and reveals hidden detail — here's how and when to use it.

Read the full guide