Contrast
Increase or soften the contrast of an image.
Runs in your browser, nothing is uploadedFree, no signupNo watermark
Drop an image here
or click to choose one. It never leaves your device.
Before and after
See what changes
OriginalMore contrastDrag the handle across the image. The right-hand side is this tool's output, not a mock-up of it.
- Before
- Original
- After
- More contrast
Three steps
How to use the contrast
- 01
Add your image
Drop in a photo that looks flat or hazy.
- 02
Adjust the contrast
Push it up to separate the tones, or down to soften an image that is too punchy.
- 03
Download the result
The change is applied to the file rather than to a preview.
Why this one
What makes it different
Both directions matter
Reducing contrast is as useful as raising it, particularly for a background image that has to sit under text without competing.
Preview at full size
Contrast changes what happens in the shadows and highlights specifically, and those are the areas a thumbnail hides.
Pairs with brightness
The two together fix most of what is wrong with an ordinary photograph, which is why they are separate, focused controls.
How this tool handles your files
- Where it runs
- Your browser, not a server
- Uploads
- None, ever
- Account
- Not required
- Watermark
- Never added
The short version
About contrast
Contrast is what makes an image feel like it has depth, and its absence is why photographs taken through a window or in flat light look lifeless. It is also the easiest adjustment to overdo, because more contrast looks better right up until the point where the highlights turn to blank white and the shadows to solid black, and neither comes back.
Questions
Contrast FAQ
What does contrast actually change?
It pushes light tones lighter and dark tones darker, widening the gap between them. High contrast reads as punchy and dramatic, low contrast as soft and hazy.
Why does my photo look hazy?
Usually low contrast, from shooting through glass, in fog, or in flat overcast light. A moderate contrast increase is normally the entire fix.
Can too much contrast damage an image?
Yes. Pushing it hard clips the extremes: the brightest areas become pure white and the darkest pure black, and the detail in both is gone permanently once saved.
Should I adjust brightness or contrast first?
Brightness first, to get the overall level right, then contrast to set the separation. Doing it the other way round usually means redoing both.
Free, and staying free
The tools are free because the icons are the business.
Thridy is a library of thousands of 3D icons in one consistent style, free for commercial use with no attribution and no account. The tools exist so you never have to upload an image to somebody else's server to resize it.
Keep going
More image tools
Blur Image
Apply a smooth Gaussian blur by any amount.
Pixelate Image
Pixelate an image or hide part of it in blocks.
Sharpen Image
Bring out edges and detail with a sharpen pass.
Brightness
Brighten or darken an image.
Saturation
Make colours richer or more muted.
Grayscale
Convert an image to black and white.