Change PNG Bit Depth
Scale down 24-bit or 32-bit profiles down to lightweight 8-bit files. Runs entirely in your browser, so your data never leaves your device.
Drop a file here, or click to browse
Files never leave your device
Output
The result appears here as you type.
How to use Change PNG Bit Depth
- 1. Drop in a PNG file. Add the image you want to shrink, ideally one with flat colors or a limited palette, since bit depth reduction affects color count most visibly on photos.
- 2. Pick a Target bit depth. Choose 8-bit for 256 colors and the safest quality tradeoff, or step down to 4-bit, 2-bit, or 1-bit for progressively smaller, more posterized files.
- 3. Download the reduced-depth PNG. The tool quantizes every pixel to the nearest color in the reduced palette and outputs a smaller file at your chosen depth.
When to use Change PNG Bit Depth
Change PNG Bit Depth reduces how many bits each pixel uses to store color, trading color precision for a smaller file. Use it when a PNG's color range is more than the image actually needs, such as flat icons, simple diagrams, or pixel art.
- Shrinking a UI icon set. Your app ships dozens of small icon PNGs that only use a handful of colors each; dropping them to 8-bit or lower cuts file size without a visible quality loss.
- Optimizing a favicon. A 32-bit favicon export is heavier than it needs to be for a 16x16 or 32x32 icon; reducing to 4-bit or 2-bit keeps it crisp while trimming bytes.
- Preparing assets for slow connections. You are building a page for users on limited bandwidth and want every decorative PNG stripped down to the minimum bit depth that still looks acceptable.
Examples
Quantize to a 256-color palette
Input
photo.png
Output
photo.png reduced to 8-bit color
About the Change PNG Bit Depth tool
Change PNG Bit Depth runs as plain JavaScript in your browser tab, with no server behind it. Scale down 24-bit or 32-bit profiles down to lightweight 8-bit files. Whatever you put in stays on your device from start to finish.
The tool is part of EditSafely's PNG Tools section, 108 single-purpose utilities built around the same idea: open the page, get the result, keep your data to yourself.
You can shape the output with the Target bit depth setting, and the result refreshes the moment you change it. The finished file is put together in browser memory and saved with the Download button, so it never touches a server on the way to your disk. A worked example further down the page shows exactly what the tool produces for a real input.
That local-first design has practical benefits beyond privacy. The tool keeps working on a flaky connection once the page has loaded, results are instant because nothing round-trips to a server, and it is safe to use with confidential material.
Frequently asked questions
Is Change PNG Bit Depth free to use?
Yes, it is completely free. All 2,658 tools on EditSafely work without an account, a subscription or usage limits.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
Everything happens locally. Your browser downloads the tool's code once, then does all the processing itself; nothing you enter is transmitted, stored or logged. You can even go offline after the page loads and it will still work.
Which files does Change PNG Bit Depth accept?
It accepts PNG images. There is no file size cap imposed by a server; very large files are limited only by your device's memory.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
No. The tool works in any modern browser on desktop, tablet or phone. There is no account to create, no extension to add and no software to install.
How do I save the output?
Click the Download button once the result is ready. The file is built in your browser's memory and handed straight to your downloads folder, without passing through a server.