How to Convert a PDF to Black and White

Print in grayscale or save a black and white copy – on Windows, Mac and online.

A color PDF page next to the same page in black and white
A black and white PDF prints with black ink only – and is often smaller, too.

Updated October 1, 2026 · 7 min read

Table of Contents

A color PDF is great on screen but expensive to print: even black text often uses colored ink, and color printers stop working when one cartridge is empty. Converting the PDF to black and white fixes that. This guide shows how to convert a PDF to black and white – either just for printing, or as a new file you can save and share.

Want the quick solution? Change a color PDF to grayscale or pure black and white in your browser. Text stays selectable – free, no upload. Convert PDF to black and white

Quick answer

To print in black and white, open the print dialog and set Color to Black and white (or check Print in grayscale in Acrobat). To save a black and white PDF, use the free PDF to Black and White converter on any device, or Preview's Gray Tone filter on a Mac.

  • Print only – fastest if you just need a paper copy right now. Nothing is saved, and some printer drivers still mix colored ink into grays.
  • Save a black and white PDF – better when you print the same file often, send it to a print shop, upload it to a portal that requires grayscale, or want a smaller file.

Grayscale vs. black and white – which one do you need?

GrayscalePure black and white
Colors becomeShades of grayOnly black or white
PhotosLook like black and white photosBecome high-contrast, like a fax
Best forReports, slides, documents with photos and chartsText, forms, scanned documents, saving the most ink
ScansKeeps gray paper backgroundClean white paper, crisp text

If you're unsure, choose grayscale. Pick pure black and white for scans with a yellowish or gray paper background – it makes them look clean and prints much lighter.

Method 1 – Convert a PDF to black and white online (free)

The OnConvert converter runs entirely in your browser, so your PDF isn't uploaded anywhere. It works on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android.

  1. Open the PDF to Black and White converter.
  2. Drop your PDF into the upload box. A live preview appears.
  3. Choose Grayscale or Black & White. For black and white, adjust the darkness slider until text is crisp.
  4. Optional: enter a page range to convert only some pages.
  5. Convert and download your black and white PDF.
Tip: This also turns dark mode PDFs back into white pages, so you can print them without emptying your black cartridge.

Method 2 – Print a PDF in black and white

Chrome or Edge (Windows and Mac)

  1. Open the PDF in the browser and press Ctrl + P (Cmd + P on Mac).
  2. Set Color to Black and white. If you don't see it, click More settings.
  3. Click Print.

The Color option only appears if your printer driver supports it.

Adobe Acrobat Reader

  1. Open the PDF and press Ctrl + P / Cmd + P.
  2. Check Print in grayscale (black and white).
  3. Click Print.

Windows printer settings

In any app, open the print dialog, click Printer Properties or Preferences, and look for Grayscale, Black ink only or Mono. The name depends on your printer brand.

Mac print dialog

Press Cmd + P, expand the details, and look for a Black & White checkbox or the color options in your printer's settings section. If it's missing, save a black and white copy first (Method 1 or 3).

Method 3 – Convert a PDF to black and white on Mac with Preview

Preview can save a grayscale copy with a built-in filter:

  1. Open the PDF in Preview.
  2. Choose File → Export.
  3. Make sure the format is PDF, then open the Quartz Filter menu.
  4. Select Gray Tone (grayscale) or Black & White (high contrast).
  5. Save under a new name to keep the original.

Be careful: Quartz filters can turn text into images on some files and sometimes make the PDF larger. Check the result before deleting the original.

Method 4 – Convert to grayscale in Adobe Acrobat Pro

Acrobat Pro (paid) can permanently convert colors:

  1. Open the PDF in Acrobat Pro and open the Print Production tool.
  2. Choose Convert Colors.
  3. Set the conversion profile to Gray Gamma 2.2 or Dot Gain 20% and select all pages.
  4. Click OK and save the PDF under a new name.

Method 5 – Convert PDF to grayscale with Ghostscript

For bulk jobs and scripts, the free Ghostscript tool works on Windows, Mac and Linux:

gs -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -sColorConversionStrategy=Gray \
   -dProcessColorModel=/DeviceGray -dNOPAUSE -dBATCH \
   -sOutputFile=output-gray.pdf input.pdf

On Windows, the command is gswin64c instead of gs.

Common problems and fixes

1. The printout still uses color ink

Many printers print "black and white" by mixing colors for a richer black. Look for Black ink only in the printer properties, or convert the file to grayscale first.

2. Light colored text disappears

Yellow or light green text becomes very light gray. Use pure black and white with a higher darkness setting, which turns light colors into readable black.

3. The file got much bigger

Some tools turn every page into an image. A converter that changes colors inside the PDF – like the OnConvert converter – keeps text as text and usually makes the file smaller.

4. The scan looks gray and dirty

Choose pure black and white instead of grayscale. The paper turns white and the text becomes crisp black.

FAQ: PDF to black and white

How do I change a color PDF to black and white?

Use a PDF to black and white converter to save a new file, or set Color to Black and white in the print dialog if you only want to print. The free OnConvert converter works in any browser without uploading the file.

How do I print a PDF in black and white in Adobe Acrobat?

Open the print dialog with Ctrl + P or Cmd + P and check Print in grayscale (black and white).

How do I convert a PDF to grayscale on Mac?

Open the PDF in Preview, choose File → Export, select the Gray Tone Quartz filter and save it under a new name.

Does a black and white PDF save ink?

Yes. A grayscale or black and white PDF prints with black ink only on most printers, while a color PDF often mixes colored ink even for dark text.

What's the difference between grayscale and black and white?

Grayscale turns colors into shades of gray and suits photos and charts. Pure black and white uses only black and white, which is ideal for text and scans.

Can I turn a black and white PDF back into color?

No, the color information is removed. Always keep a copy of the original color PDF.

Convert your PDF to black and white now

For a one-off printout, the print dialog is enough. For a black and white file you can reuse, share or print at a copy shop, use the free PDF to Black and White converter – it keeps text selectable and works on every device. Reading on screen instead? See how to convert a PDF to dark mode.

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