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Prepare a photo for laser engraving

Choose the material, enter the size in millimeters and download the finished file. With a preview of how the engraving will look on the material.

Drop a photo here

or tap to choose a photo. JPG, PNG, WebP and iPhone photos (HEIC).

Choose file

Step by step

  1. Start by choosing the material and laser type. This sets brightness, contrast, gamma, dithering, lines per mm, invert and mirror to suitable starting values. Anything you change by hand afterwards stays until you switch material or laser type again.
  2. Enter the width in mm the engraving should have on the workpiece. Below the fields you see the height, the pixel size of the finished file and the matching DPI.
  3. Switch to the “Laser file” tab to see the dots exactly as the laser will burn them. If faces look blotchy or too dark, a little more brightness or a gamma below 1 usually helps.
  4. Compare with the “Original” tab to check that fine detail survives. “Sharpen” brings out edges such as eyes or hair, but too much of it adds noise.
  5. Download the file with “Download PNG for the laser”. The file name includes the width in mm, which keeps several versions apart.
  6. In your laser software, choose an image mode that keeps the dots as they are (in LightBurn it is called “Pass-Through”). Only with “Grayscale” dithering does the laser software do the dithering itself.

What you can use it for

  • Photo gifts: Portraits, wedding photos or pet pictures on wooden boards, slate or leather tags. The material preview helps you pick the right material in advance.
  • Logos and lettering: “Black and white” dithering gives clean solid areas without a dot pattern – good for company logos on pens, tools or packaging.
  • Engraving on the back: Clear acrylic is engraved from behind. Its preset switches on “Mirror” so the design reads correctly from the front.
  • Small batches: For several identical pieces you set the width once and always get a file of exactly that size, which you only need to position in your laser software.
  • Customer preview: “Share preview” sends a JPG view on the chosen material, for example to a customer via a messenger, before you engrave.

How it works

  1. Drop or choose a photo.
  2. Choose the material and laser type. Brightness, contrast and dithering are preset to match.
  3. Enter the width in millimeters. The height follows from the aspect ratio.
  4. The preview shows roughly how the engraving will look on the material.
  5. Download the PNG and open it in your laser software (e.g. LightBurn). The size in mm is stored in the file.

Black in the file means: the laser burns here. On slate, glass and anodized aluminium the engraving turns light, which is why “Invert” is switched on for them.

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

Which dithering is best for photos?

For photos on wood, Jarvis and Stucki usually give the finest gradients. Atkinson adds contrast and suits slate and glass. For logos and text, black and white is right.

Why is the size correct in my laser software?

The downloaded PNG contains the resolution (DPI). Laser software like LightBurn reads the size in millimeters from it.

Are my photos uploaded?

No. All processing runs in your browser. The photo never leaves your device.

What does lines per mm mean?

It is how many image lines the laser burns per millimeter. It should match your laser's dot size. A test grid on the material shows the best value.

Why does lines per mm change when I pick a fiber laser?

For fiber lasers the material's starting value is doubled because these machines have a very fine dot. You can adjust the value yourself at any time.

What happens to transparent areas in a PNG?

They are never engraved – not even with “Invert” switched on. A cut-out subject without a background is therefore engraved cleanly on any material, with no area around it.

My photo is too small – what does the notice mean?

If the photo has clearly fewer pixels than the engraving needs at this size, it is upscaled and you get a notice. A smaller width, fewer lines per mm or upscaling the photo first helps.

Why do I get a message that the result is too large?

Width times lines per mm gives the pixel count. Very large engravings with a high line count become too big for the browser. Reduce one of the two values.

How accurate is the material preview?

It is a simulation with typical colors and a hint of surface texture. Real wood, stone and leather vary from piece to piece, so it does not replace a test on the material.

When is “Grayscale” useful?

When you want to dither in your laser software or control power by gray level there. The file then contains brightness, contrast and sharpening, but no dots yet.