tobitmap.com
Help

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about tobitmap.com — the converter, accounts, plans and privacy.

Registration & account

How do I create an account?

Click Sign up in the top-right corner, enter your email address and choose a password. You will receive a confirmation email — click the link inside to activate your account. The whole process takes under a minute.

Do I need an account to use the converter?

No. You can convert images, adjust dithering settings and download results without any registration. An account unlocks watermark-free exports, extra formats (PNG, BMP, SVG) and saved presets.

I did not receive the verification email. What should I do?

First, check your spam or junk folder. The email is sent from no-reply@tobitmap.com. If it is not there, wait a few minutes and try signing in again — the app will offer to resend the link. If the problem persists, contact us at hello@tobitmap.com.

How do I reset my password?

On the sign-in page, click Forgot password and enter your email address. You will receive a reset link within a few minutes. The link is valid for 24 hours.

How do I delete my account?

Sign in, go to your account page and scroll to the Danger zone section. Deleting your account permanently removes all your data and cannot be undone. Active subscriptions are cancelled automatically.

Bitmap converter

Which image formats can I upload?

The converter accepts any image format your browser can display: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, AVIF, BMP and most SVG files. The image is read entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded to a server.

How do I load an image?

There are three ways to get your image into the converter:

  • Click the canvas area to open a file picker.
  • Drag and drop an image file from your desktop onto the canvas.
  • Paste an image from your clipboard with Ctrl + V (or Cmd + V on Mac).

What is dithering and which methods are available?

Dithering is a technique that simulates tones and gradients in a 1-bit (black and white) image by arranging pixels in patterns. Without dithering, every pixel is either pure black or pure white, which can look very stark. With dithering, subtle textures emerge that give the impression of grey values.

tobitmap.com offers two families of dithering algorithms:

  • Ordered dithering (Bayer 2×2, 4×4, 8×8) — uses a fixed pattern matrix. Results are crisp and regular, with a visible grid texture. Ideal for pixel art and retro aesthetics.
  • Error diffusion (Floyd–Steinberg, Atkinson, Jarvis–Judice–Ninke, Stucki, Burkes, Sierra) — scatters rounding error to neighbouring pixels. Results look organic and photographic, with no visible grid.

You can also choose Threshold (no dithering at all) for the hardest, highest-contrast result, or Random for a noisy, grain-like texture.

What is the cell size?

Cell size sets how many screen pixels wide each “dot” is before the dithering pattern is applied. A cell size of 1 processes the image at its native resolution. A larger cell size (2, 4, 8…) creates a chunky, pixelated look. Use larger cells for bold graphic art, printing on low-resolution devices or a deliberate low-fi style.

How do threshold and brightness work?

Threshold controls the grey value at which a pixel tips from white to black. A lower threshold (towards 0) makes the image brighter — fewer pixels turn black. A higher threshold (towards 255) darkens the image — more pixels turn black.

Brightness is a global pre-adjustment applied before dithering. Increase it if your source image is underexposed; decrease it for overexposed or very light images. Combining both sliders gives you fine control over the final look.

Can I crop or rotate the image?

Yes. Use the Crop tool to drag a selection on the canvas and trim the image to that region. Use the Rotate buttons to rotate the source image 90° clockwise or counter-clockwise before conversion. Both operations are non-destructive — you can reset to the original at any time.

How does the before / after compare view work?

Click the Compare button (or press C) to overlay the original colour image on top of the converted result. Drag the divider line to reveal more or less of each side. This makes it easy to judge how much detail the dithering preserves at different settings.

Export & download

Which formats can I export to?

The free plan exports a watermarked JPEG. Paid plans unlock:

  • PNG — lossless, with optional transparent background.
  • BMP — uncompressed 1-bit bitmap, compatible with every image editor and laser engraver software.
  • SVG — fully scalable vector file, generated from the pixel grid. Perfect for cutting machines, laser engravers and large-format print.

How does SVG export work?

After converting your image, tobitmap.com traces the pixel grid and outputs a clean SVG file where every black cell is a filled rectangle. The resulting file is infinitely scalable with no quality loss, making it ideal for laser engraving, vinyl cutting and high-resolution print. File sizes are reasonable for typical images (under 2 MB for most outputs). See the SVG export guide for tips.

What does the scale / resolution setting do?

Scale multiplies the output canvas size. At scale 1× each pixel in the dithered result becomes one pixel in the exported file. At 4× each pixel becomes a 4×4 block, giving you a larger file that looks identical when viewed at the same physical size but has more pixels for printing. Use a higher scale when printing at large sizes or when the target software requires a minimum resolution.

Why is there a watermark on my export?

The watermark appears on exports from free (unregistered) accounts. Create a free account and subscribe to any paid plan to download watermark-free files in all available formats. If you already have a paid account and still see a watermark, make sure you are signed in.

Can I convert multiple images at once?

Yes. The Batch mode lets you drop a folder of images and apply the same dithering settings to all of them in one go. All processing happens in your browser — no files are uploaded. Batch export is available on paid plans.

Plans & features

What does the free plan include?

The free plan gives you full access to every dithering algorithm, all adjustment controls (threshold, brightness, cell size, crop, rotate) and the ability to download a watermarked JPEG. There is no time limit — you can use the free plan indefinitely.

What do paid plans include?

All paid plans remove the watermark and unlock PNG, BMP and SVG export. Higher tiers additionally unlock Batch mode, saved presets, larger scale options and priority support. Visit the Pricing page for a full comparison.

Is there a free trial?

The free plan itself is essentially an unlimited trial — every feature except watermark-free export and advanced formats is available without paying. We do not offer a time-limited trial of paid features at this time, but you can cancel within the first billing cycle and request a refund (see Refund policy).

What is the difference between monthly and yearly billing?

Both billing cycles give you identical features. Yearly billing is discounted compared to paying month by month — typically saving around two months of cost per year. You can switch between cycles from your account page at renewal time.

Billing & payment

Which payment methods do you accept?

Payments are processed securely through Stripe. We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay where available. No payment details are stored on our servers.

Can I cancel my subscription at any time?

Yes. Sign in, go to Account and click Cancel plan. Your subscription remains active until the end of the current billing period, after which your account reverts to the free plan. No further charges are made.

What is your refund policy?

If you are not satisfied, contact us at hello@tobitmap.com within 14 days of your payment and we will issue a full refund, no questions asked. Refunds for renewals after the 14-day window are considered on a case-by-case basis.

How do I get an invoice?

Stripe automatically sends a receipt to your email address after every successful payment. If you need a formal invoice with company details, contact us at hello@tobitmap.com and we will arrange it.

Privacy & security

Are my images stored on your servers?

No. The entire conversion process runs locally inside your browser using the Canvas API. Your images are never sent to any server, never stored in the cloud and never seen by anyone other than you. This is a core design principle, not just a policy statement.

What personal data do you collect?

If you create an account, we store your email address and a hashed password. We also store billing records (via Stripe) and session tokens to keep you signed in. We do not sell personal data. See the full Privacy policy for details.

Which cookies does tobitmap.com use?

We use a single session cookie to keep you signed in between visits, and a cookie to remember that you have accepted the cookie notice. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies. Read our Cookie notice for more information.

Technical questions

My converted image looks too dark or too light. How do I fix it?

Adjust the Threshold slider first — moving it left (lower) brightens the result; moving it right (higher) darkens it. If the overall contrast feels off, use the Brightness slider to pre-correct the source image before dithering. A combination of both sliders gives you the most control. Different dithering algorithms also produce different perceived brightnesses: Atkinson tends to be lighter, Floyd–Steinberg closer to true grey.

Is there a maximum image size?

There is no hard file-size limit, but very large images (above roughly 4000 × 4000 px) may be slow to process because everything runs in your browser. The converter automatically resizes the preview canvas to a sensible working size, but the exported file always matches the original resolution multiplied by your chosen scale setting.

Which browsers are supported?

Any modern browser works: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge and their mobile equivalents. The converter uses standard Canvas 2D APIs available in all current browsers. Internet Explorer is not supported.

Can I use tobitmap.com offline?

The converter itself runs entirely in the browser, so once the page has loaded you can disconnect from the internet and continue working. However, you need an internet connection to load the page initially, to sign in or to download updates. Offline / PWA support is on our roadmap.

Still have a question? Write to us at hello@tobitmap.com — we reply within one business day.