Why images look different on e-ink
Photos are prepared for emissive screens with millions of colors. E-paper is reflective and renders a handful of fixed inks, so a direct conversion loses shadows, blows out highlights, and turns subtle gradients into harsh bands. Tone mapping and dithering—techniques borrowed from offset printing—restore the illusion of continuous tones.
This tool brings those techniques to your browser: calibrated palettes for real panels, multiple dithering algorithms, and an automatic mode that classifies your image (photo, line art, screenshot) and suggests suitable settings.
Dithering engine: open-source epdoptimize (Apache-2.0).
Browser-based
Your file is processed locally without waiting for a server conversion queue.
No upload required
Files stay in your browser, which is ideal for private drafts and personal libraries.
Free ebook tool
Merge and split ebook files without signup, credits, watermarks, or installation.
How to convert images for e-ink displays
Upload an image
Select a photo, wallpaper, or illustration. The file stays in your browser and is never uploaded.
Pick a palette or auto tune
Choose the palette that matches your e-paper display, or let the auto recommendation analyze your image and pick the best dithering settings.
Preview and download
Compare the original and dithered preview side by side, optionally target a specific screen size, then download the full-resolution PNG.
E-ink image conversion FAQ
Most e-ink and e-paper displays can only show a small fixed set of colors—often just black and white. Dithering arranges those few colors in fine patterns so the eye perceives shades and gradients that the screen cannot actually reproduce, keeping photos readable instead of blotchy.