How to Turn a Photo into a Cartoon (Free, No App)

To cartoonize a photo, open Image to Cartoon, add the picture, set the ink outline density and the number of colour steps, and save the result. The tool traces bold outlines along the edges and flattens the colours into a few solid tones — the classic comic-book and cel-shaded style — in your browser, without uploading the photo.

Cartoonize a photo step by step

1. Open Image to Cartoon and add a portrait, pet or landscape photo.
2. Set the ink outline density: higher values draw more and bolder lines.
3. Set the colour steps: fewer steps give a flat, poster-like look; more keep it closer to the photo.
4. Check the preview and save the cartoon.

Getting the best cartoon

• Good light, clear subject. Well-lit photos with a distinct subject turn into clean cartoons; dim, grainy photos produce messy lines.
• Simple backgrounds. Busy backgrounds produce a tangle of lines. Remove the background first with the Background Remover, then cartoonize the cut-out.
• Fewer lines for faces. Faces look friendlier with a lower outline density; buildings and cars suit stronger lines.
• Few colour steps for posters, more for a softer, painted look.

Ideas

• Avatars and profile pictures — make them round with Round Image Crop afterwards.
• Stickers for messaging apps: cartoonize a cut-out subject on a transparent background.
• Posters and invitations with a playful look.
• Pet portraits for mugs, cards and T-shirts.
• Team pages with consistent cartoon headshots instead of mixed-quality photos.

Example: a cartoon pet portrait

1. Pick a sharp photo of your pet, ideally at eye level with good daylight.
2. Remove the background with the Background Remover, so you get the pet on transparency.
3. Cartoonize it with a medium outline density and 6–8 colour steps — enough to keep fur colours recognisable.
4. If it looks busy, reduce the outline density; if it looks too photographic, reduce the colour steps.
5. Save it, and use it as a sticker, an avatar, or print it on a card.

The same recipe works for people: fewer lines on faces keep them friendly, while hair and clothing can take more.

Cartoon versus AI art styles

This tool applies a classic image-processing effect: it traces edges and reduces colours, keeping the photo's exact shapes. It doesn't redraw faces in a particular animation studio's style the way generative AI apps do. The upside: the result looks like your photo, it's instant, unlimited and private, and there's no risk of the person's features being changed.

For other looks:

• Pencil drawing: Photo to Pencil Sketch.
• Retro pixel art: Pixelate Image on the whole picture.
• Colour filters: Photo Filters.

Group photos

Cartoonizing a group photo works best when everyone is reasonably large in the frame. Crop to the group first, and use fewer colour steps so the result reads as one consistent illustration rather than a noisy photo.

Printing your cartoon

Cartoon images print well because of their flat colours and strong lines. For mugs and T-shirts, the print service will ask for a high-resolution image: start from a full-size photo rather than a screenshot, and save the cartoon in full resolution.

Frequently asked questions

Is my photo uploaded?

No. The cartoon effect runs in your browser, so photos of family and friends stay private.

Can I cartoonize a video?

This tool works on images. For an animated cartoon look, you could cartoonize frames and assemble them with the GIF Maker, though it's laborious for long clips.

Why are there lines all over the background?

The edge detector draws lines wherever there's detail. Lower the outline density, blur the background, or remove it first.