Corrupt an Image File Online
Corrupt a JPG, PNG or WebP image online for free. Destroys the markers and chunk headers decoders rely on, or produces glitch art at Light level.
- No upload
- No size limit
- No sign-up
Corrupt your image file
Tuned for .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .webp, .bmp, and works with every other format too.
Why image files are hard to corrupt properly
Image formats fail in interesting ways. A JPEG with damaged scan data produces the smeared, glitched look people associate with corruption; a JPEG with a destroyed SOI marker simply will not open at all. You can have either, depending on the level you choose.
What this tool destroys
- JPEG markers. The SOI, SOF, DHT and SOS markers are destroyed, so no decoder can begin a scan.
- PNG chunks. The 8-byte signature plus the IHDR and IDAT chunk headers are overwritten, which also invalidates every CRC.
- WebP and BMP. The RIFF/WEBP chunk headers, or the DIB header for bitmaps, are targeted instead.
- Pixel data. Entropy is scattered through the compressed image data, which is what produces visible smearing at Light level.
What you will see afterwards
| Application | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Photoshop / GIMP | "Could not complete your request because the file is not compatible." |
| Windows Photos / Preview | "It looks like we don't support this file format." |
| Browsers | A broken-image placeholder is shown. |
| Light level | Often renders as a partly-decoded, glitched image, the classic datamosh look. |
Common reasons people do this
- Testing that an avatar or media upload form validates images properly.
- Producing glitch-art source material at Light level.
- Verifying an image processing library fails safely on malformed input.
- Creating damaged samples for a photo-recovery demonstration.
How to corrupt a image file
- Drop your .jpg file onto the box above, or click to browse.
- Leave the level on Standard unless you want partial damage (Light) or need to defeat recovery software (Heavy).
- Press Corrupt file. Processing happens on your device, so it finishes almost immediately.
- Download the result. It keeps the original filename and byte length by default.
Image FAQ
Can I get glitch art instead of a dead file?
Yes. Choose Light. It leaves the structure mostly intact and scatters a small amount of entropy through the scan data, which is what produces the smearing and colour shifts.
Does EXIF metadata survive?
No. EXIF sits in an APP1 segment near the start of the file, inside the header region that gets overwritten.
What about RAW camera files?
RAW formats fall back to the generic binary profile. They break reliably, though the corruption is not tuned to any vendor's layout.
Will the thumbnail still show?
Thumbnails your operating system has already cached may linger, but the file itself no longer decodes.