How to make a photo black and white without Photoshop
At some point, most of us have scrolled past a photo and thought, "That would look incredible in black and white."
That was me recently. I had a photo I loved, a wall that needed something on it and a room so full of colour. Busy prints, colourful frames, the works. Another coloured photo was just going to get lost in it. Black and white was the obvious answer. The only problem? I had a colour photo and no desire to open Photoshop!
Now, if you've ever tried to order a black and white print from Max Spielmann or anywhere else, you'll have quickly discovered that most printing services can't convert your photo for you.
You need to convert your colour image to black and white before you upload your photos online. Which sounds like it requires Photoshop, a degree in graphic design and about four hours of frustration.
It doesn't. There are free tools that take about 30 seconds and you almost certainly already have one on your phone. Here's how to use all of them.
Why black and white photography still looks so good
Before we get into the how, let's talk about the why. Not every photo will look good in black and white, which is important to remember when choosing your prints (and save yourself the disappointment we’ve all experienced when an edit doesn't turn out how we imagined).
A flat, overcast photo that's already low on contrast will just look very grey in black and white. High-contrast images with strong shadows, bright highlights and a clear subject against a different-toned background are where black and white can elevate a print.
Top Tip: If you're unsure, just try it! You'll know immediately.
Black and white, as the name would suggest, removes all colour from a photo, so what you're left with is just black and white. It might sound like a loss, but without colour competing for attention, your eyes go straight to the light, shadow, texture and composition. Black and white prints let you see beneath the colours and view your images in a new light (pun absolutely intended).
Another reason? Black and white prints go with everything. No clashing with the sofa, the curtains or the other frames on the wall. That was my reason and it’s just as valid!
How to make a photo black and white on your iPhone
Good news: you don't need to download anything. The iPhone Photos app has had built-in black and white filters for years and they're genuinely good.
Open your photo in the Photos app, tap Edit, then tap the Filters icon (it looks like three overlapping circles). Scroll along until you find the black and white options:
- Mono: Clean & classic B&W. The most straightforward option.
- Silvertone: Slightly warmer with a softer feel. Good for portraits.
- Noir: High contrast & deep shadows. Dramatic B&W.
Tap the one you like, adjust the intensity with the slider and hit Done. That's it.
A tip from one of our photo experts:
“If none of them feel quite right, tap Mono and then use the Adjust tool to tweak the contrast manually. Drag the contrast slider up.”
Android users: the process varies slightly depending on your phone, but most Android devices have a similar option built into their Photos or Gallery app. Look for a filter strip or an Adjust menu and drag the Saturation slider all the way to zero. Then bump the contrast up.
We’ll discuss why that matters in a minute.
How to make a photo black and white in Canva
If you want a bit more control, or you're editing on a laptop rather than your phone, Canva is a great free option. You'll just need a free account, which takes about 30 seconds to set up with your Google login.
I’ve been a Canva lover for years. It’s great for designing presentations, social posts, personalised event menus and so much more, but Canva is also great for editing photos, without needing design experience.
Upload your photo to Canva, select it, then click Edit Image in the top toolbar. Go to Filters, scroll down to the section labelled Mono and you'll find six options to choose from:
Classic, Ink, Noir, Film, Newspaper and Slate.
Each one has a slightly different contrast and tone. Classic is your safe, clean option. Noir crushes the blacks and adds real drama. Film has a softer, slightly faded feel.
Spend a minute clicking through all six before you choose your fighter! They look more different from each other than you'd expect.
Once you've decided, use the intensity slider to dial it up or down, then download your image as a JPG or PNG and finito!
A tip from one of our Max Spielmann graphic designers:
“Don't stop at the filter. After applying Mono, return to the Adjust panel and nudge the contrast up slightly. It takes ten seconds and makes a real difference to how the print looks. Actually, though, it’s easy to get carried away. Sometimes I like to have my original edit open in another tab to act as a comparison and make sure I haven’t done too much.”
How to make a photo black and white in Adobe Express
If you enjoy editing photos and you don’t already know about Adobe Express, all I’ll say is get to know! It's slightly more advanced than Canva for photo editing.
Adobe Express is free to use in your browser, though you will need to create a free Adobe account to get started.
Simply upload your photo, click on it, go to Effects and select the Grayscale filter. Your photo converts instantly. From there, open the Adjustments menu and use the contrast, brightness and shadow sliders to refine your image.
What you’ll get is a straight, well-rendered black and white image, with full control over how light or dark it comes out.
The one thing that makes black and white photos look flat (and how to fix it)
One thing we haven't covered yet is what to actually do if your edited photo doesn't turn out well (because it does happen, trust me).
If you drag the saturation slider to zero on any app and call it done, your photo will look grey, flat and a little lifeless. As if dragging down the saturation has simultaneously dragged out the joy - not to be dramatic!
The reason is: contrast.
Colour naturally creates visual separation between different parts of an image. When you remove it, everything can start to blur into a mid-tone.
The fix is just as simple as the problem. After converting, always increase the contrast. Even a small nudge makes a significant difference. Push it until the dark areas feel genuinely dark and the highlights feel bright.
Every tool in this post has a contrast slider. From one black and white photo lover to another, I cannot recommend it enough
Ready to print your black and white photo?
Once you're happy with your editing skills, you're ready to order. Head to our black and white photo prints page, upload your edited image, choose your size and finish and you're done.
Prints start from 6x4" and go all the way up to A2. Browse our frames, available in a range of colours and sizes, perfect for displaying your black and white photos on a wall.
One thing to remember: upload the black and white version of your photo, not the original colour one. We print exactly what we receive, which is a good thing when you've put the effort in.
If you want to go beyond a standard print, our photo tiles are a great addition to a wall display. A grid of black and white tiles on a colourful wall is a simple way to bring all the attention to your prints. Plus, they're easy to arrange, reposition and add to over time.
Can I turn a black and white into colour?
If you’re reading this and you want to try the other direction, our photo restoration service does exactly that in-store. We can bring colour back to a faded or monochrome image, whether it was taken in black and white, or it’s faded so much over time and lost all colour.
A quick note on which tool to use and when
They all work, but if you want to turn coloured photos into black and white:
- Instantly on your phone: use the iPhone or Android Photos app
- On a laptop, or if you want more filter options: use Canva
- For the cleanest, most neutral result: use Adobe Express
All three are free. All three take under two minutes. The only wrong move is leaving a great photo on your camera roll.
Want more photo inspiration? Head back to the Max Spielmann Inspire blog for ideas on printing, wall art and making the most of your favourite photos.
