Retro 1-bit dithering
Turn any clip into 1-bit retro pixels
Drop a video or photo and a real WebGL shader dithers it to a two-colour palette with Bayer or Atkinson patterns, the classic Mac and Game Boy look. Tune brightness, contrast and pixel size, then export a crisp MP4 with the original audio, free.
What is the ditherpunk effect?
Ditherpunk quantises your image to just two colours and fakes every shade in between with a pattern of dots, the way early Macs, the Game Boy and newspaper print did. That pattern is called dithering, and it is the whole retro aesthetic people call ditherpunk.
Instead of a flat threshold, Ditherpunk offers real dithering algorithms: ordered Bayer matrices from 2x2 to 16x16 for a crisp grid, or Atkinson error-diffusion for the sparse, high-contrast classic-Mac look. Set any two colours, adjust brightness, contrast and pixel scale, and it renders live.
How it works
From clip to 1-bit in four steps
Drop a video or photo
Upload any MP4 or image, or start on the built-in demo. Everything runs locally in your browser, nothing is uploaded to a server.
Pick a dither
Choose ordered Bayer from 2x2 to 16x16 for a clean grid or Atkinson for the sparse classic-Mac look, then set the pixel scale.
Set the palette and tone
Pick any two colours for ink and paper, or start from a preset, then dial brightness and contrast until the dither reads clearly.
Export a clean MP4
Render every frame offline through the same shader and download a crisp MP4 with your original audio. No watermark on paid plans.
Why zlabz
Real export, not a screen recording
Most browser dithering tools capture your screen in real time, so the export drops frames and softens the crisp dots. Ditherpunk renders every frame offline at full quality.
Ditherpunk alternatives
Artkit RetroMan
The original browser dithering tool. Image only, and its video export is a realtime capture that softens the dots. Ditherpunk adds video, audio and offline rendering.
Photoshop Dither / Bitmap Mode
Photoshop bitmap mode and dither can do a still 1-bit look but need a desktop license and manual steps. Ditherpunk does it live on video in the browser, free.
After Effects Posterize
After Effects posterize gets you partway but is not true error-diffusion dithering. Ditherpunk ships real Bayer and Atkinson algorithms in one click.
Retro Photo Filter Apps
Retro photo apps offer a fixed dither sticker with no palette control or video support. Ditherpunk is a true per-frame shader.
Product names belong to their owners and are named for comparison only. Details reflect public information as of July 2026 and may change.
What creators make with it
One shader, endless retro looks.
Music video looks
Give a performance clip a stark 1-bit treatment that pulses with the track.
Retro title cards
Dither a logo or title into a Game Boy or classic-Mac palette for an instant throwback.
Album and cover art
Turn a portrait into a crisp dithered still with your own two colours.
Lo-fi and demoscene
Layer Atkinson dithering over a loop for a demoscene, lo-fi tape feel.
Zines and print looks
Recreate the halftone-newsprint aesthetic for a zine or poster frame.
Dithered stills
Feed a single photo and export a clean 1-bit still or a short loop.
Ditherpunk questions, answered
Is Ditherpunk free?
Yes. You can open every control and preview on any clip for free. Exporting requires a free sign-in, and paid plans remove the watermark.
Does it work on video, or only images?
Both. Drop an MP4 and every frame is dithered with your audio kept, or use a single photo for a still.
Where is my footage processed?
Entirely in your browser with WebGL2. Your video is never uploaded to a server.
Why does my export look sharper than other dither tools?
Because Ditherpunk renders each frame offline through the shader instead of screen-recording the preview, so the dots stay crisp with no dropped frames.
What is the difference between Bayer and Atkinson?
Bayer is ordered dithering: a repeating threshold grid from 2x2 to 16x16 that looks clean and even. Atkinson is error-diffusion: it spreads quantisation error for the sparse, high-contrast look of the original Macintosh.
What do I need to run it?
A modern browser with WebGL2, such as Chrome or Edge. No install, no plugins.
Dither your next clip
Open Ditherpunk, drop a video, and watch it drop to 1-bit in seconds.
Open Ditherpunk free