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ImageData[image]

gives the array of pixel values in an Image or Image3D object image.

ImageData[image,"type"]

gives the array of pixel values converted to the specified type.

Details and Options
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Options  
DataReversed  
Interleaving  
Properties & Relations  
See Also
Tech Notes
Related Guides
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ImageData

ImageData[image]

gives the array of pixel values in an Image or Image3D object image.

ImageData[image,"type"]

gives the array of pixel values converted to the specified type.

Details and Options

  • ImageData[image] by default gives a 2D or 3D array whose elements are lists of values for each channel. For a single-channel image, only a value and not a list of values is returned.
  • In 2D, the array generated by ImageData[image] is arranged in the same way that the image is displayed, with the first row corresponding to the top row of pixels in the image.
  • In 3D, the array generated by ImageData[image] is arranged such that the first part corresponds to the top slice, with rows running from back to front, and columns running from left to right.
  • For binary images, ImageData[image] returns integer values 0 or 1. For images of type "Byte" or "Bit16", ImageData[image] always normalizes values to lie between 0 and 1. For images of a real type, ImageData[image] returns whatever real values are used in the image.
  • Possible types specified in ImageData[image,"type"] are:
  • "Bit"integer 0 or 1
    "Byte"integer 0 through 255
    "Bit16"integer 0 through 65535
    "Real32"single-precision real (32-bit)
    "Real64"double-precision real (64-bit)
  • ImageData[image,Automatic] is equivalent to ImageData[image,ImageType[image]].
  • The following options can be given:
  • DataReversed Falsethe order of the rows returned
    Interleaving Truewhether to return interleaved or planar data
  • Interleaving->Automatic returns in the native form used to store the image.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (3)

Channel data for the first five pixels of the first row:

Wolfram Language code: ImageData[[image]][[1, 1 ;; 5]]

Construct a byte-valued image:

Wolfram Language code: i = Image[ {{0, 63, 127, 191, 255}, {0, 50, 100, 150, 200}}, "Byte"]

Extract normalized raster data:

Wolfram Language code: ImageData[i]

Extract raw bytes:

Wolfram Language code: ImageData[i, "Byte"]

Extract data from a 3D image:

Wolfram Language code: ImageData[[image]]//MatrixForm

Options  (3)

DataReversed  (1)

By default, data is returned from the top to the bottom:

Wolfram Language code: ImageData[[image]]

Reverse the order of rows:

Wolfram Language code: ImageData[[image], DataReversed -> True]

Interleaving  (2)

Data of multichannel images is by default returned in interleaved form:

Wolfram Language code: ImageData[[image]]//Dimensions

This gives the pixel data in planar form:

Wolfram Language code: ImageData[[image], Interleaving -> False]//Dimensions

Retrieve the image data in interleaved form:

Wolfram Language code: i = Image[RandomInteger[255, {4, 4, 3}], "Byte"]
Wolfram Language code: MatrixForm@ImageData[i, Automatic, Interleaving -> True]

Retrieve the image data in planar form:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixForm /@ ImageData[i, Automatic, Interleaving -> False]

Properties & Relations  (2)

ImageData and Raster assume a different ordering of the rows:

Wolfram Language code: Graphics[Raster[ImageData[[image]]]]

To visualize image data using Raster, the rows need to be reversed:

Wolfram Language code: Graphics[Raster[ImageData[[image], DataReversed -> True]]]
Wolfram Research (2008), ImageData, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ImageData.html (updated 2012).

Text

Wolfram Research (2008), ImageData, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ImageData.html (updated 2012).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 2008. "ImageData." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2012. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ImageData.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (2008). ImageData. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ImageData.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_imagedata, author="Wolfram Research", title="{ImageData}", year="2012", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ImageData.html}", note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_imagedata, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={ImageData}, year={2012}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ImageData.html}, note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}