How to Make a Photo Black and White on Windows 10

To make a photo black and white on Windows 10, remove its color with the Microsoft Photos app or use IrfanView’s Convert to Grayscale command. Both methods create a grayscale version with light and dark tones. Save the result as a copy if you want to keep the original photo in color.

The Photos app has changed over time, so you may see different buttons. The screen illustrations below show the controls discussed here; their arrangement may differ from the version installed on your PC.

What “black and white” means here

Most photo editors use “black and white” to mean grayscale: color is removed, but the image keeps many shades between white and black. This preserves detail in faces, skies, and shadows. It is different from a two-tone image that contains only pure black and pure white, which can erase subtle detail.

Method 1: Remove color in the Photos app

Photos is the simplest choice if it is already installed. Microsoft’s current editing guidance covers the app’s Edit image, adjustment, and filter tools. Windows 10 PCs may also have the older Photos Legacy interface.

1. Open the picture in Photos. Find the image in File Explorer, right-click it, choose Open with, and select Photos. You can also search for Photos from the taskbar and open the picture there.

2. Enter the editor. In the newer interface, select Edit image at the top, or press Ctrl + E. If you have Photos Legacy and see the older toolbar, select Edit & Create, then Edit. If Photos Legacy is not installed, Microsoft says to open Photos, choose Settings, and select Open Photos Legacy under its section.

3. Lower Saturation. In the editor, select Adjust, expand Color, and drag the Saturation slider all the way to the left. The photo should appear grayscale. If the preview still looks tinted, move the slider farther left or use the app’s reset control and try again. In supported Photos versions, press and hold the image or the spacebar to compare the edit with the original.

4. Save a separate file. Select Save a copy, choose a folder, and give the edited image a new name such as flower-black-and-white.jpg. Check that the new file opens correctly before deleting or replacing anything; saving a copy keeps the color original available.

For Microsoft’s instructions on current Photos editing controls, see Edit photos and videos in Windows. The Photos Legacy guide explains how to open the older app when it is available.

Method 2: Convert the photo with IrfanView

IrfanView is a lightweight alternative when you want a direct grayscale command or your Photos controls are missing. Download it from the official IrfanView site. Avoid third-party download bundles.

1. Install IrfanView and open your photo. Start the program, choose File > Open, and select the image you want to edit.

2. Convert to grayscale. Choose Image > Convert to Grayscale. In the default shortcut layout, Ctrl + G runs the same command. The color disappears from the current preview while the image’s tonal detail remains.

3. Save without replacing the source. Choose File > Save As, enter a different filename, and select the format you need. JPEG is convenient for sharing but recompresses the picture; PNG avoids JPEG-style compression but may produce a larger file. If you save over the original by mistake, an undo may help before closing the image, but a new filename is safer.

IrfanView’s official change history documents the grayscale command and its Ctrl + G shortcut. Menu names can vary slightly between releases, so use the Image menu if the shortcut does not work.

If the whole screen looks black and white

If every app and photo appears grayscale, Windows may have an accessibility color filter turned on. That changes how colors appear on the display; it does not edit the image file. In Windows 10, open Settings > Ease of Access > Color filters and turn the filter off. If the keyboard shortcut was enabled, press Windows key + Ctrl + C. See Microsoft’s Windows color filters guide.

Keep a color original

Use Photos when you want an adjustable saturation slider and a quick preview. Choose IrfanView when a one-command grayscale conversion is more convenient. In either app, saving to a new filename is the safest way to compare versions or return to the original later.

Windows 10 support note: Microsoft ended standard support on October 14, 2025. Windows 10 PCs still run, but standard feature and security updates have ended; Microsoft lists current options in its Windows 10 support notice.