Pixel Art Editor

Create pixel art with a zoomable grid editor, color palette, layers, and export to PNG or GIF.

Tested tool guide Tested browser tools Checked August 16, 2026

What Pixel Art Editor does and how it behaves

Pixel Art Editor is for drawing sprites and deliberately low-resolution raster artwork on a zoomable pixel grid. Its color palette helps you reuse exact colors, while layers keep separate parts of a design independently organized until export. Finished artwork can be saved as PNG or GIF. The common surprise is that zoom changes only how large the grid appears while editing. It does not add pixels, increase the artwork's dimensions, or create additional detail in the exported image.

How the result is produced

Grid and palette

Each grid cell represents one pixel in the artwork. Select a palette color and apply it to the cells that should contain that exact color. Zooming makes individual cells easier to target without changing their coordinates or count. The resulting cell-aligned color boundaries produce the deliberately sharp edges associated with sprites and other pixel art.

Layers and export

Layers let related pixels remain grouped while other parts are changed. Content from the layers is combined into a single raster result when you export; PNG and GIF do not retain the editable layer structure. PNG can preserve full alpha transparency, while GIF stores colors through palettes of no more than 256 entries and can designate a transparent entry.

Good uses

Drawing a game character sprite whose silhouette, facial features, shading, and highlights must occupy exact pixel cells.
Creating a compact 8-bit-style icon or tile while reusing a controlled palette instead of introducing slightly different colors.
Keeping a character, accessory, and background on separate layers during revision, then exporting the completed composition as PNG or GIF.

Limits and checks

Confirm the artwork's pixel dimensions before exporting. A heavily zoomed grid can look large and detailed on screen even though the saved image still contains only the original number of rows and columns.
If transparent pixels matter, inspect the export against both light and dark backgrounds. A transparent cell and a cell painted with the apparent background color can look identical inside the editor but behave differently elsewhere.
Do not interpret the GIF option as proof that the editor creates animation. GIF supports animation, but an exported GIF can contain only one static image unless the editor also provides explicit frame and timing controls.

Common questions

Does zooming make the exported sprite larger?

No. Zoom enlarges the editing view so individual grid cells are easier to see and select. The underlying grid still determines the exported pixel dimensions. If you need a physically larger image with the same blocky appearance, zoom alone will not produce it; the finished raster must be scaled separately without smoothing.

Can I edit the original layers after reopening an exported PNG or GIF?

No. PNG and GIF store the combined raster image rather than the editor's layer organization. Reopening an exported file gives you its pixels, not the original independently editable layers. Complete or preserve any layer-based work before treating the exported image as the only remaining copy of the design.

References and verification

The behavioral notes were checked against the browser implementation. Standards and primary references below define the relevant format, formula, or platform behavior.