OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Invert Image
Make a Photo Negative, or Flip Only the Brightness and Keep the Hues
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How the Invert Image works
Invert image colours in one step: every pixel is flipped to its opposite, so black becomes white and blue becomes orange, like a film negative. A second mode inverts only the brightness and keeps the original colours.
How to invert image colours with this tool
Drop in a JPG, PNG or WebP and the negative appears straight away. Keep Amount at 100% for a full inversion, or pull it back for a washed, ghostly halfway look. Download the result when it looks right.
Full colour invert or brightness only
Full colour invert subtracts each red, green and blue value from 255, which is what most people mean by a photo negative. Brightness only flips light and dark while keeping hues, so a red apple stays red but its shadows become highlights. That mode is handy for turning dark screenshots into light ones.
Practical uses
Inverting is useful for reading scanned film negatives, making dark-mode versions of diagrams, checking image detail in shadows and creating graphic poster effects.
Private by design
The image is processed on a canvas in your browser, and it never leaves your device.
FAQ
How do I turn a film negative scan into a positive?
Scan or photograph the negative against a bright light, then invert it here. Colour negatives also carry an orange mask, so you may need to adjust the colour balance afterwards for natural skin tones.
Does inverting keep transparency in a PNG?
Yes. Only the red, green and blue channels are flipped and the alpha channel is left alone, so transparent areas stay transparent and the result is saved as a PNG.
What does brightness only mode do?
It works out each pixel's brightness, flips that value and shifts the colour by the same amount. Dark becomes light and light becomes dark, but the hue of each area stays close to the original.
Can I invert only part of an image?
This tool inverts the whole picture. Crop the area first with an image cropper, invert it here and then place it back with an image editor or the combine images tool.
See also: all Images tools, Audio, Video & Screen, PDF, SVG, Simulations & Screensavers, Generative Art, Chart Makers, 3D Model Viewers, Drawing Pads, Mockups & 3D Making, Diagram Makers, 3D Science, Tracker Music.
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