Photo to Perler Bead Pattern
Upload an image and it converts into a bead board automatically — matched to real fuse-bead colors, counted by color, and ready to print or finish in the editor. Adjust any setting and the pattern regenerates on the spot. Nothing uploads; the photo never leaves your device.
Changes apply automatically as you adjust the settings.
Pick a photo to start — it converts right on this page, nothing uploads.
Maximum color count
Up to this many bead colors — the bead list caps with it.
Color simplification
Merges near-identical shades into one bead so the pattern has fewer, cleaner colors.
Bead width
Presets
Enter 10 to 200 beads.
For the best results
Different images, different settings
The converter does the heavy lifting, but a couple of settings decide how close the first pass lands. Here is what to reach for depending on what you are turning into beads.
The sweet spot — a clean, simple subject just works
A bold subject on a light or transparent background is where the converter shines. Clear shapes, only a few colors to juggle — every bead lands on what matters, and it looks great straight out of the box on the default settings. If you can start here, start here.
Detailed & 3D art needs more beads
Renders with soft shading, gradients, or a 3D feel carry a lot of subtle color. To do them justice, push the bead width up and raise the color count so the shading has enough beads and shades to land on. A little tuning here is the difference between a muddy blob and something that genuinely reads.
Want the whole scene? You can keep it
Prefer the backdrop and all? Leave Remove background off so the surroundings stay in, and push the bead width up — a full scene needs more beads to hold both the subject and its background without turning to mush. Set Color simplification to Keep shades so the sky, sea and sand keep their soft gradients, and leave Dark outline off so the figure isn't forced into a hard silhouette against the scene.
How it works
From image to bead pattern in four steps
1 · Upload your image
Drop in a photo, logo, drawing or piece of pixel art. Clean shapes and strong contrast convert best, but you can refine anything after the first pass.
2 · Convert to a bead grid
The converter maps your image onto a pegboard grid, snaps every cell to the closest real bead color, and shows a live preview you can steer with the settings above.
3 · Refine the result
No converter nails every image — hit Edit in editor and fix stray beads by hand: repaint, erase, mirror strokes, simplify colors.
4 · Print or make it
The printed sheet carries the board with its pegboard seams plus the bead list with Mardiy codes — or download a PNG for your phone or tablet.
What you can control
A converter you can actually steer
Most image-to-bead tools give you a single automatic output. This one keeps you in control of size, colors, and every individual bead, so the result matches the beads you own and the look you want.
Colors: 8 to all 291
Fewer colors read cleaner and are easier to source — 8 or 12 covers most bold subjects. Raise it to 16 or 24 when the subject needs extra shades, or open it to all 291 to keep every color the converter sees.
Bead width: Auto, presets or Custom
Leave width on Auto for the size that keeps detail readable, pick a preset board (29 / 58 / 87 / 116), or type an exact width from 10 to 200 to hit a specific finished size.
Remove background
Off by default, so full scenes convert as-is. Turn it on to clear the solid color connected to the edges — it works best when your subject already sits on a plain backdrop.
Simplify shades & dark outline
Keep shades, Balanced or Bold decides how aggressively near-duplicate colors merge. Dark outline, also off by default, traces the silhouette in the darkest bead when you do cut the subject out.
What your pattern includes
- A printable pattern sheet with pegboard seams every 29 beads
- Bead counts per color, each with its Mardiy code and hex
- Pegboard count — how many 29 × 29 boards the design spans
- A PNG export and a one-click jump into the bead editor
Convert photos you own or have the right to use. Bead versions of other people's artwork or characters are for your own shelf, not for sale.
Frequently asked questions
How does my photo become a bead pattern?
The picture is scanned and divided into color regions, then each region is matched to a real bead color. Matching runs in Oklab, a color space built around how different two colors look to the human eye, so skin stays skin-toned and reds stay red instead of drifting muddy.
What kind of photo works best?
A bold subject on a light or transparent background is where the converter shines — clear shapes, only a few colors to juggle. Shaded, 3D-looking art carries subtle color, so push the bead width up and raise the color count to do it justice. Prefer the whole scene? Leave Remove background off and widen the board.
What does Color simplification do?
It merges near-identical shades into one bead so the pattern has fewer, cleaner colors. Keep shades preserves the subtle steps, Bold collapses whole color families, and Balanced sits between the two. Every level keeps the colors you actually place on the board.
What do the codes in the bead list mean?
Every one of the 291 colors carries a Mardiy catalog code — A1 through ZG8, the number you order beads by, shown next to the color’s hex. Swatches and the bead list use the same code, so A1 always means the same bead from the list to the pegboard.
Why does the preview show lines through the pattern?
Those seams mark pegboard edges — one large square pegboard holds 29 × 29 beads. A 58-wide pattern spans two boards across, and the seam lines show exactly where one board ends and the next snaps on, so you can split the work (and the boards) before you start placing.
Can I fix a bead the converter got wrong?
Yes — hit Edit in editor under the preview. The whole board carries over to the bead editor, where you can repaint any bead, erase, mirror strokes, simplify colors and export a PNG. Your work autosaves in the browser.
Does my photo get uploaded anywhere?
No. The whole conversion runs in your browser — the picture never leaves your device, and the pattern disappears when you close the tab. Print it or download the PNG if you want to keep it.
Rather start from a ready-made design? Browse the full perler bead pattern set — 115 animal, character, food and Halloween boards at every size, each with the same printable template and bead list.