Techno360 Review · Web Tools · Tested September 2026
PixelTools: 86 Free File Tools Built to Run in Your Browser
Compress images, convert PDFs, turn MP4 into MP3 and more, with no sign-up, no watermark and (according to the developer) no uploads. We opened Chrome DevTools to check whether your files really stay on your computer.
⚡ Quick Read
- What it is: PixelTools, a free web toolkit with 86 tools for images, PDFs, audio, video, invoices, text and developers.
- Main difference from TinyWow, iLovePDF and similar sites: it is built to process files in your browser (JavaScript, WebAssembly, FFmpeg, pdf.js), not on a remote server.
- Our test result: in five tools we tested, no file data left the browser during processing. Downloads came from a local
blob:URL. - Watch out for: the homepage says “no tracking”, but our fresh-browser test saw Google Analytics requests (page and tool data, not your files). It launched in 2026, so it has no long track record. Big video jobs use your own PC’s CPU and RAM.
- Price: ₹0. No ads today, no premium tier.
Disclosure: PixelTools’ founder emailed Techno360 about our TinyWow review. This review was not paid for and we tested the claims ourselves before writing.
Most “free online converters” follow the same pattern: you upload a file, their server does the work, and you trust them to delete it. That’s fine for a meme. It’s a different decision when the file is an Aadhaar scan, a bank statement, a signed contract or a client’s unreleased video.
PixelTools says it works another way. When you “upload” a file, it isn’t sent anywhere: the tool’s code downloads into your browser tab and processes the file on your own computer or phone. That’s the claim, anyway, and we tested it on five tools. Below we explain how it works, what we saw in our network tests, and where the marketing goes further than the evidence.
What Is PixelTools?
PixelTools (pixeltools.io) is a free, browser-based collection of file utilities. According to its About page and Terms of Use, it is an independent project based in France and run by Jean-Baptiste Reyt. The site launched in 2026 and has grown quickly: an early version offered a handful of image tools, and as of September 2026 the site lists 86 live tools.
There’s no installer, no extension and no account. You open a tool page, drop in a file, adjust the settings and download the result. Because it’s just a web page, it works on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, though the Screenshot Beautifier needs a screen at least 1024px wide.
All 86 PixelTools Tools at a Glance
| Category | Tools | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 🖼️ Image (22) | Remove background, AI upscale (2×/4×), compress, resize, crop, rotate/flip, convert (WebP, HEIC, AVIF, PNG, JPG and more), PNG→SVG, blur, pixelate, blur faces, invert, watermark, Instagram grid, HTML→image, screenshot beautifier, barcode/QR scanner, image OCR, PDF→JPG/PNG, image/HEIC→PDF | The site lists AI background removal and upscaling as browser-based tools. We did not independently verify how they process files. Batch mode is available in compress, resize, convert, watermark, upscale and remove background. |
| 📄 PDF (26) | Merge, split, compress, extract/delete/rearrange pages, page numbers, Word/PowerPoint/Excel/EPUB/HTML→PDF, scan to PDF, edit, sign, fill forms, annotate, unlock, flatten, redact, watermark, rotate, crop, PDF→text, OCR, PDF→Markdown | A full PDF toolkit. It includes redaction and signing, which many free sites charge for. |
| 🎬 Audio / Video (23) | MP4→MP3, video→GIF, convert video (MP4/MOV/WebM/MKV/AVI), convert audio, compress video/audio, trim, crop, speed, merge, reverse, loop, flip, remove/add audio, extract frame, split/join audio, change pitch, audio→MIDI, text-to-speech (28 voices) | Uses FFmpeg compiled to WebAssembly, so it’s the same engine many desktop apps use, running in a browser tab. |
| 🧾 Invoicing (5) | Invoice, receipt and estimate generators, shipping labels, SKU generator | Useful for freelancers and small online sellers. |
| 🔤 Text (6) | Binary, hex, Caesar, Vigenère, ROT13, Atbash | Quick encoders and decoders. |
| 👨💻 Dev tools (4) | QR code generator, Unix timestamp converter, UUID generator, JSON⇄CSV⇄YAML converter | Small, but handy to keep bookmarked. |
Tool list taken from pixeltools.io on 23 September 2026. The catalogue changes often. Category counts follow the site’s own menu (22 + 26 + 23 + 5 + 6 + 4 = 86).
How PixelTools Processes Files Without Uploading Them
Here’s the difference in simple terms:
| Typical online converter | PixelTools (as designed) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where your file goes | Uploaded to the company’s server | Read into your browser tab’s memory |
| Who does the work | Their server | Your CPU/GPU, using JavaScript and WebAssembly |
| What’s downloaded | Your converted file, from their server | The tool (code and engines), then your file is saved from a local blob URL |
| Deletion | You trust their policy (TinyWow: “deleted after 1 hour”) | No server-side copy in the tools we tested. The working file is handled inside the browser, and closing the tab clears the page’s active state (normal browser caching can vary). |
PixelTools says it uses the Canvas API for images, FFmpeg compiled to WebAssembly for audio and video, and pdf-lib and pdf.js for PDFs. OCR uses Tesseract.js (English only for now), and the AI background remover downloads a roughly 40 MB model the first time you use it and caches it. Our network logs matched the audio, video and PDF parts of that description: we saw ffmpeg-core.wasm and the pdf.js worker being downloaded to the browser when we used those tools.
We Tested It: Do Files Really Stay on Your Device?
“Nothing leaves your device” is a strong claim, and we didn’t want to just repeat it. We checked it two ways:
- Manual test in Chrome DevTools (Network tab): we cleared the log after the tool had loaded, added a synthetic test file, ran the tool and watched every request.
- Automated test in a clean Chromium browser: we logged every request made while the tool was processing, flagged any POST request or request body, and checked where the download came from.
We used synthetic files only, such as a PDF saying “T360 PRIVACY TEST 2026” and a 5-second test video. Don’t test privacy claims with a real ID document.
| Tool tested | Result | Network during processing | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image → PDF | PDF created and downloaded with the internet disconnected | None possible (offline) | 🟢 Local |
| PDF → JPG | 2-page PDF became a ZIP of 2 JPGs | 0 requests / 0 kB during conversion in DevTools. The pdf.js engine was downloaded when the tool first opened the PDF, before conversion. | 🟢 Local |
| PDF → Text | Text extracted correctly | 0 requests / 0 kB | 🟢 Local |
| Compress Image | 1600×1000 image compressed to a JPG | 1 Google Analytics request, with no file payload | 🟢 Local |
| MP4 → MP3 | Valid 5-second MP3 | FFmpeg WebAssembly (ffmpeg-core.wasm) was downloaded as the processing engine. No request carried the video or audio data. Analytics requests had no file payload. | 🟢 Local |
| OCR PDF, AI background removal, upscaler, TTS | Not fully verified. Our automated OCR run stopped with a “Setting up fake worker failed” error, so we’re not making claims about these tools yet. | 🟡 Untested | |
In every tool we completed, the finished file was saved from a blob: URL, which is a file created inside the browser. Chrome’s download list still shows “From pixeltools.io”, which is normal for files generated locally and doesn’t mean anything was uploaded.
What the analytics actually send
We opened the Google Analytics requests to see what they contained. They included the page URL, the page title and an event such as tool_start with the tool name (for example tool=mp4-to-mp3). We found no file names, file sizes or file contents, which matches PixelTools’ privacy policy.
Why some tools fail offline
In one hands-on test, Image → PDF worked offline but PDF → JPG failed while disconnected, then worked fine online with zero bytes transferred. Our network logs explain it. PixelTools doesn’t load everything upfront. The PDF engine (pdf.js worker) and the video engine (FFmpeg WASM, several megabytes) are only fetched the first time you use those tools. If you go offline before that, the tool has nothing to run.
Important: “Works locally” doesn’t mean “works offline straight away”. Some PixelTools tools first need their processing engine downloaded while you’re online.
💡 Tip: For a sensitive file, open the tool, run a harmless test file through it once while online, then switch off Wi-Fi and process the real file. If it works offline, the file couldn’t have been uploaded.
How to Use PixelTools (Compress an Image Example)
- Go to pixeltools.io/compress, or pick any tool from the homepage.
- Drag and drop your images, click to browse, or paste from the clipboard. JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC and GIF are supported, up to 50 MB each.
- Compression starts straight away. Adjust quality or format if you need to, and compare the before and after preview.
- Click Download for one file, or download a ZIP for a batch.
Every other tool works the same way: choose a tool, add a file, adjust the settings and download. You’ll never see an email prompt, a countdown timer or a “Buy Pro to remove watermark” screen.
PixelTools vs TinyWow: Which Should You Use?
We reviewed TinyWow earlier, and it’s still a strong free toolkit. Here’s how the two compare as of September 2026:
| Feature | PixelTools | TinyWow |
|---|---|---|
| Number of tools | 86 | 200+ |
| Where files are processed | In your browser, by design (confirmed in the 5 tools we tested) | On TinyWow’s servers (per TinyWow’s own policy; not tested by us) |
| File retention | No file upload observed in the tools we tested | “Deleted after 1 hour” (TinyWow’s policy) |
| Ads | None today (may come later, per the privacy policy) | Yes, on the free tier |
| Paid plan | None | Premium, about $15–20/month (ad-free, faster) |
| Sign-up | Never | Optional |
| AI writing tools | No | Yes |
| Offline use | Partly (after the tool has loaded once) | No |
| Speed on a weak PC or phone | Slower for large video and AI jobs | Doesn’t depend on your hardware |
| Track record | New (2026) | Established |
Pick PixelTools for private documents, when you’d rather not upload files to someone else’s server, or when you’re tired of ads and upgrade prompts. Pick TinyWow for its larger catalogue, AI writing tools, or heavy video jobs on a low-end laptop or phone.
If you want an offline PDF toolkit for Windows that never touches the internet, also see our Osenpa PDF Tools review and our complete guide to PDF tools for Windows.
Pros and Cons
👍 Pros
- No file uploads observed in the five tools we tested
- Completely free: no watermarks, no daily caps, no sign-up
- No ads (for now)
- Wide PDF toolkit, including redact, sign, OCR and Office→PDF
- AI background removal and upscaling advertised as browser-based (not independently verified)
- Some tools work offline
- Clear privacy policy with an analytics opt-out
👎 Cons
- Brand new (2026), so it has little independent reputation yet
- Homepage says “no tracking”, but our test saw Google Analytics requests (page and tool data, not files)
- Large video and AI jobs depend on your device’s CPU and RAM
- “No file size limits” on the homepage, but some tools have 50–100 MB caps
- OCR is described by the site as English-only (we didn’t complete an OCR test)
- Fewer tools than TinyWow and no AI writing tools
- Offered “as is”, with no uptime guarantee (per its terms)
⚠️ Things to Know Before You Trust It With Sensitive Files
- Local file processing doesn’t mean the website is tracking-free. The homepage says “no tracking”, but our fresh-browser test saw Google Analytics requests. Those contained page and tool information, not the files being processed. Per the privacy policy, Analytics collects page visits, approximate location and device type, and it ran in our fresh browser without asking first. You can turn it off on the privacy page, or use an ad blocker.
- Footer badges load from third-party sites. When you scroll to the bottom, “Featured on” badges load images from about eight launch-directory websites. Those third-party servers receive the browser request, which exposes the visitor’s IP address and standard request details. We found no evidence that processed files were sent to them.
- A web app is only as trustworthy as its latest code. Browser tools avoid server-side risk, but if the site’s JavaScript were ever compromised, it could read files you open in it. We found no Content-Security-Policy header or
security.txtcontact. Neither finding means the site is unsafe, but both matter when judging the security maturity of a new web app. - Check redactions yourself. PixelTools says its Redact PDF tool removes content “so nothing is recoverable”. Before sharing a redacted legal or financial document, reopen it and try selecting or copying the text underneath.
- Keep your originals. The terms warn that a crashed tab or out-of-memory error can end a job with nothing produced.
Who Should Use PixelTools?
- Students and office users: merge assignment PDFs, convert Word or PowerPoint to PDF, compress scans for upload portals.
- Bloggers and YouTubers: compress images for Core Web Vitals, beautify screenshots, turn clips into GIFs, pull MP3s from interview recordings.
- Freelancers and small sellers: generate invoices, receipts and shipping labels without a subscription, and remove backgrounds from product photos.
- Privacy-conscious users: anyone who would rather not upload bank statements, IDs or contracts to an unknown server.
✅ Techno360 Verdict
Rating: 4.3 / 5 · Recommended for browser-based file conversion where local processing matters
Our confidence: high for the five tools we tested; not established for OCR, the AI tools and the rest of the catalogue.
Our testing supports PixelTools’ local-processing claim for the five tools we tested. We saw no file-data uploads while processing Image → PDF, PDF → JPG, PDF → Text, Compress Image and MP4 → MP3, and the finished files were generated in the browser and saved from local blob: URLs. That doesn’t prove all 86 tools behave the same way, so we have left OCR and the AI tools unverified. It’s free, has no ads and no sign-up, and covers most everyday file jobs.
It isn’t perfect. It’s a 2026 launch without a long track record, “no tracking” should really say “no file tracking”, and heavy video or AI work depends on your hardware. For everyday conversions where you’d rather not upload the source file to a remote converter, the five tools we tested offer a compelling local-processing approach. Bookmark it, and use the offline tip for your most sensitive files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PixelTools free?
Yes. As of September 2026 all 86 PixelTools tools are free, with no sign-up, no watermarks and no paid plan. The site shows no ads today, but its privacy policy says ads may be added later.
Does PixelTools upload my files?
PixelTools says files are processed inside your browser and never sent to its servers. In our tests of Image to PDF, PDF to JPG, PDF to Text, Compress Image and MP4 to MP3, we saw no request carrying file data during processing, and the output was downloaded from a local blob URL. We did not test every tool.
Does PixelTools work offline?
Partly. Some tools, such as Image to PDF, worked after we disconnected the internet. Heavier tools download their engines (for example the pdf.js worker or FFmpeg WebAssembly) the first time you use them, so they can fail offline if you have not run them once while online.
Is PixelTools 100% private?
In the five tools we tested, files stayed on the device, but the website itself is not tracking-free. PixelTools uses Google Analytics, which in our test recorded the page and tool name (for example ‘mp4-to-mp3’) but no file names or contents. You can opt out on the PixelTools privacy page.
Is PixelTools better than TinyWow?
They suit different needs. TinyWow has more than 200 tools and AI writing features but processes files on its servers and deletes them after an hour. PixelTools has 86 tools designed to run on your own device with no ads or paid plan, but it is a new service and heavy jobs depend on your computer’s power.
Who runs PixelTools?
PixelTools is an independent project based in France. Its terms of use name Jean-Baptiste Reyt as the operator, and French law governs the terms.
Is there a file size limit on PixelTools?
The homepage says there are no file size limits, but individual tools show their own caps, such as up to 50 MB per image in Compress Image and up to 100 MB per image in Remove Background. In practice your device’s memory is the main limit.
Related Reads on Techno360
- TinyWow Review 2026: 200+ Free PDF, Image & AI Tools
- Osenpa PDF Tools: The Private, No-Upload PDF Toolkit for Windows
- Ultimate Guide to PDF Tools for Windows (2026)
- 7 Best Truly Free PDF Editors for Windows
- VOVSOFT OCR Reader: Extract Text from Images & PDFs Offline
Tested on 23 September 2026 in Google Chrome (DevTools) and a clean Chromium browser, using synthetic test files. Tool counts, limits and policies come from pixeltools.io and tinywow.com on the same date and may change.
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