pngtoolskit.org
PNG and image utilities, in the browser
Say hi →

Invert a PNG's Alpha Channel

swap transparent ↔ opaque · colours untouched · batch

Flip the transparency of a PNG: areas that were opaque become transparent, and transparent areas become opaque. The colours stay exactly as they were — only the alpha values are inverted. Runs in your browser; nothing uploads.

Drop PNG files here

Multiple files allowed

    no files
    Ready.

    What inverting alpha does

    Each pixel's transparency is replaced with its opposite — a value of 255 (opaque) becomes 0 (transparent) and vice-versa, with partial values mirrored around the middle. It effectively turns a cutout into its "hole": the subject disappears and its former background becomes solid. Useful for making stencils, inverted masks, and knockout effects.

    FAQ

    What happens to the colours?

    Nothing — only the alpha channel changes. If you also want to invert the colours (a negative), use Invert colors.

    My whole image just vanished — why?

    If the image was fully opaque, inverting alpha makes it fully transparent (invisible). Inverting alpha only produces a visible result on images that already have some transparency.

    Can I get the original back?

    Yes — running invert alpha again restores it, since inverting twice returns the original values.