Perler Bead Pattern Maker
Built by Johnny Alto · free, no sign-up · updated July 26, 2026
Turn any photo into a perler or fuse bead pattern. Upload an image, set how many beads wide you want it and how many colors to use, and the tool maps each bead to the nearest standard fuse bead color and builds a printable grid with a color key and a bead count for each color. It runs entirely in your browser, so your photo never leaves your computer.
Everything runs locally in your browser, so your image stays private. One square pegboard is 29 beads across, and the heavier grid lines mark each 29-bead board so you can see how many boards a design needs. Fewer colors and fewer beads make a simpler, cheaper build; photos with clear shapes and strong contrast convert best.
How to turn a photo into a perler bead pattern
A perler bead pattern is a grid where each square is one fuse bead of a particular color. To make one from a photo, the image is shrunk so each pixel becomes one bead, then every pixel is matched to the closest standard bead color. This tool does both: set how many beads wide the design should be, it scales the photo to that grid, and it matches each bead to the nearest color from a common fuse bead palette that works for Perler, Hama, and Artkal beads.
You also choose how many colors to use. The tool keeps the most common colors up to your limit and reassigns the rest to their nearest kept shade, so you end up with a real, buildable pattern instead of one that needs fifty different bead colors. The color key lists a bead count for each color so you know how many of each to pull before you start.
Getting a good pattern
Two settings drive the result. Beads wide sets the detail and the finished size: a standard square pegboard is 29 beads across, so a 29-bead design fits one board and a 58-bead design needs four. More beads capture more detail but cost more beads and take longer to place. Color count is the other lever; eight to fifteen colors is a good range for a photo, while a clean logo or sprite can look great with under eight. Pictures with clear subjects and strong contrast convert far better than busy scenes. Everything runs in your browser, so the photo never uploads anywhere. Print the pattern or download it as an image to build from.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn a photo into a perler bead pattern?
Upload a photo, set how many beads wide you want the design and how many colors to use, then click Make pattern. The tool scales the image to a bead grid, matches each bead to the nearest standard color, and gives you a printable chart with a bead count per color.
How many beads wide should my pattern be?
A standard square pegboard is 29 beads across. Stay at or under 29 to fit one board, or go wider and the tool marks each 29-bead section with a heavier line so you can split the build across multiple boards.
Does this work for Hama and Artkal beads?
Yes. The color palette is based on the standard fuse bead colors shared across Perler, Hama, and Artkal, so the pattern works whichever brand you use. Match to the closest color you own if a shade is missing from your stash.
Is my photo uploaded anywhere?
No. The whole tool runs in your browser, so your image is processed on your own device and never sent to a server.
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This calculator gives estimates for planning only; always confirm against your own measurements and species research. Some links are to our buying guides, which contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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