Floyd-Steinberg
Balanced contrast and detail. A reliable first choice for most photographs and materials.
ORIGINAL
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OUTPUT
Start right away with the demo photo or
Crop Photo
Photo Adjustments
Photo Type
Normal Photo
Negative
Dark Photo
Light Photo
Default is Normal Photo. Choose Negative for an inverted output, or fine-tune everything with the sliders below.
Dithering
Floyd-Steinberg
Atkinson
Jarvis
Ordered / Bayer
Floyd-Steinberg is the balanced choice. Atkinson is softer, Jarvis is smoother with more tones, and Ordered/Bayer creates a regular pattern (suitable for logos and graphics).
Output
Enter the real engraving width in millimeters.
Changing DPI keeps the same physical size and recalculates the pixel count.
Advanced: adjust width in pixels
Advanced control. Changing pixels recalculates the width in mm for the selected DPI.
Size in mm
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Pixel size
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PNG is recommended for LightBurn, XCS, LaserGRBL and other laser software. PNG and 1-bit BMP include DPI metadata for the correct physical size in laser software.
Compare dithering methods on your photo
All four previews use the same crop, tonal adjustments and Photo Type. Use the button below a preview to apply that method to the main laser-ready output.
Atkinson
A lighter, softer pattern that can keep skin tones and heat-sensitive materials cleaner.
Jarvis
Smooth tonal transitions with a denser pattern. Useful when the material can hold fine dots.
Ordered / Bayer
A regular, visible dot pattern. Best for graphic looks, raster logos and predictable repetition.
Recommended starting points
Portrait
Start with Floyd-Steinberg. Try Atkinson when skin or highlights look too dark. Use Normal Photo on light materials and Negative on dark surfaces.
Logo
Start with Ordered / Bayer for a regular raster pattern. For clean outlines and solid shapes, a vector logo in your laser software is usually better than dithering.
Wood
Start with 254 DPI and Floyd-Steinberg. Try Atkinson if dots spread or shadows burn together. Keep dark areas open and test on the same wood.
Slate
Start with Negative, 254–300 DPI and Floyd-Steinberg. Try Jarvis for smoother tones if the slate keeps fine light marks.
Metal
For dark anodized or coated metal, start with Negative and Floyd-Steinberg or Jarvis. Use 300–508 DPI only when the laser spot and coating can reproduce it. Bare stainless steel, marking spray and fiber marking require separate tests.
Free image to laser engraving converter online
PhotoEngraving.online is a free image to laser engraving converter that runs directly in your browser. Upload a photo or image, convert it to a laser-ready black-and-white PNG or 1-bit BMP, choose photo type and DPI, preview common materials and download the result for LightBurn, XCS, LaserGRBL, EZCAD and similar laser software.
Free online tool
No installation and no account. Open the page, upload a photo and prepare the engraving file in your browser.
Laser-ready PNG and BMP
Download black-and-white PNG or 1-bit BMP files with DPI metadata, so the physical size is easier to keep in LightBurn, XCS, LaserGRBL and EZCAD.
Private browser processing
The conversion happens locally in your browser. Your uploaded photo is not sent to our server.
What is PhotoEngraving.online?
PhotoEngraving.online is a free browser-based image to laser engraving converter. It converts photos into laser-ready black-and-white PNG or 1-bit BMP files with DPI metadata for LightBurn, XCS, LaserGRBL, EZCAD and similar laser software.
Who is this laser engraving converter for?
This tool is made for makers, laser engraving users and small workshops that need to prepare photos for engraving on wood, plywood, slate, anodized aluminum, stainless steel, leather and other materials before importing the file into laser software.
PNG or BMP for LightBurn, XCS, LaserGRBL and EZCAD
Export PNG for most workflows, or 1-bit BMP when you need a strict black-and-white bitmap. Both exports include DPI metadata so the physical size is easier to keep consistent in laser software.
About this tool
PhotoEngraving.online was created for users who need a simple way to prepare photos for laser engraving without installing desktop software. The editor runs locally in the browser, supports real size in millimeters, custom DPI, dithering, material preview and exports ready for common laser engraving programs. Last updated: July 2026.
What does this tool do?
Photo Engraving Online prepares a normal photo for laser engraving by controlling crop, tones, dithering, output size and DPI. The result is a black-and-white PNG or BMP you can import into LightBurn, XCS, LaserGRBL, EZCAD and similar laser software.
Recommended DPI by material
| DPI | Best for | Engraving speed |
|---|---|---|
| 254 DPI ✓ | Soft wood, soft plywood, MDF, slate, stone | fast |
| 300 DPI | Wood, plywood, slate, HDF, plastic | medium |
| 508 DPI | Acrylic, laminates, coated metals, anodized aluminum, stainless steel | slow |
Step-by-step guide
1
Upload a photo
Click Upload photo and choose a JPG, PNG, BMP or WebP file. For best results, start with a sharp photo, clear lighting and visible detail in the subject.
2
Choose photo type and dithering
Start with Normal Photo, Negative, Dark Photo or Light Photo. Then choose the dithering pattern: Floyd-Steinberg is a balanced default, Atkinson is softer, Jarvis keeps smoother tones, and Ordered/Bayer is useful for graphic, regular-dot looks.
3
Tune the image and Material Preview
Adjust brightness, contrast, gamma and sharpness while comparing the original with the output. Then use Material Preview to get a rough idea of how the file may behave on wood, slate, dark surfaces, stainless steel or leather.
4
Set size, DPI and export
Enter the real engraving width in millimeters, choose 254, 300, 508 or Custom DPI, and watch the pixel count update. If the preview looks right, download PNG or 1-bit BMP with DPI metadata and import it into your laser software.
How to choose the correct output size?
The output size in mm should exactly match the real physical size of the engraving area on your material.
Example: If you want to engrave a portrait on a wooden plate with a width of 80 mm, set the width to 80 mm and choose 254 DPI. The tool will create an image about 800 px wide. Changing DPI keeps the same physical size but recalculates the pixel count, and the advanced pixel-width control can fine-tune the final raster when your laser software needs an exact pixel size.
ℹ️ Formula: width in px = (width in mm ÷ 25.4) × DPI
Tips for better results
Input photo quality
Use sharp, evenly lit photos with visible detail in the face, object or texture. Crop away empty background before dithering so the laser-ready pixels focus on the important area.
Preview before engraving
Switch between Original + Output, Output and Material Preview. The simulation is only a guide, but the power slider can warn you when stronger settings may darken, spread or flatten the real mark.
Test engraving
Always test on an offcut of the same material. Real results still depend on laser type, focus, lens, speed, power, coating and the exact surface.
Laser software settings
Import the PNG or BMP as Passthrough or Threshold. The dithering is already included in the file, so additional image processing may make it worse. Use the embedded DPI metadata or manually set the same physical width if your software ignores metadata.
Photo engraving FAQ
Is this photo to laser engraving converter free?
Yes. The tool is free to use in your browser. You can convert a photo to a laser engraving PNG and download the result without installing software.
Which laser software can use the exported PNG?
The PNG output is suitable for LightBurn, XCS, LaserGRBL, EZCAD and other laser engraving software that imports raster images.
Does the PNG include DPI information?
Yes. The exported PNG includes DPI metadata, which helps laser software keep the correct physical engraving size.
Can I use my own DPI value?
Yes. You can choose a preset DPI or enter a custom DPI value for your laser, material and preferred line spacing.
What does Negative do?
Negative creates an inverted output by swapping black and white in the final laser-ready image.
Are my photos uploaded to a server?
No. Photos are processed locally in your browser and are not uploaded to our server.
Which materials can I preview?
You can preview wood, slate, dark anodized or coated surfaces, stainless steel and leather. The preview is approximate and should always be verified with a test engraving.
Should I export PNG or BMP for laser engraving?
PNG is recommended for most laser software. Use 1-bit BMP when your workflow needs a strict black-and-white bitmap.
What DPI should I use for photo engraving?
Start with 254 DPI for wood, plywood, MDF, slate and stone, 300 DPI for general use, and 508 DPI for finer materials such as acrylic, laminates and coated metals.