Create with Bit Crush

Reduce RGB precision and sampling resolution, then flip selected bits in independently seeded cells. Channel mismatch lowers green and blue precision at different rates.

Use a photograph with smooth gradients and small details to compare tonal steps with sample holds.

Creative applications

• Use Bit Crush for experimental music artwork, posters, or animated signal studies.
• Use a photograph with smooth gradients and small details to compare tonal steps with sample holds.

Starting workflow

1. Use a photograph with smooth gradients and small details to compare tonal steps with sample holds.
2. Begin with Bit depth, then compare the source using shared Mix.
3. Explore the remaining controls separately before combining their extremes. Keep one recognizable feature if the artwork needs to remain readable.
4. Enable Animate for mapped control motion. Pause to compare a held frame and inspect the result at its final size.

Key controls

Bit depth

Lower to one bit for only two levels per color channel; raise it to retain smoother gradients.

Default: 4 · Range: 1 to 8

Sample size

Increase the cell size to make the texture coarser. Judge it at the final output size.

Default: 0.012 · Range: 0 to 0.25

Channel mismatch

Lower green and blue precision relative to red, creating unequal channel contours.

Default: 1 · Range: 0 to 4

Bit corruption

Raise the fraction of cells with flipped bits. Keep Seed fixed while comparing strength.

Default: 0.12 · Range: 0 to 1

Refresh rate

Set zero to hold one pattern, or enable Animate and raise this control for refreshing damage. This does not set export frame rate.

Default: 24Hz · Range: 0Hz to 60Hz

Seed

Choose a repeatable arrangement. Seed is manual and does not change the amount of damage.

Default: 37 · Range: 0 to 65535

Mix

Blend the complete treatment with its input using the shared Mix control.

Default: 100% · Range: 0% to 100%

Practical tips

• Use a photograph with smooth gradients and small details to compare tonal steps with sample holds.
• Extreme settings intentionally discard detail. Lower Mix to recover some of the source without resetting the treatment.

Limitations

• This is a creative image-space treatment, not a calibrated hardware or codec simulation.
• Input transparency is preserved; use an opaque source layer for a full-frame result.