ImageData.data

The readonly ImageData.data property returns a Uint8ClampedArray that contains the ImageData object's pixel data. Data is stored as a one-dimensional array in the RGBA order, with integer values between 0 and 255 (inclusive).

Syntax

imageData.data

Examples

Getting an ImageData object's pixel data

This example creates an ImageData object that is 100 pixels wide and 100 pixels tall, making 10,000 pixels in all. The data array stores four values for each pixel, making 4 x 10,000, or 40,000 values in all. 

let imageData = new ImageData(100, 100);
console.log(imageData.data);         // Uint8ClampedArray[40000]
console.log(imageData.data.length);  // 40000

Filling a blank ImageData object

This example creates and fills a new ImageData object with colorful pixels.

HTML

<canvas id="canvas"></canvas>

JavaScript

Since each pixel consists of four values within the data array, the for loop iterates by multiples of four. The values associated with each pixel are R (red), G (green), B (blue), and A (alpha), in that order. 

const canvas = document.getElementById('canvas');
const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
const imageData = ctx.createImageData(100, 100);

// Iterate through every pixel
for (let i = 0; i < imageData.data.length; i += 4) {
  // Percentage in the x direction, times 255
  let x = (i % 400) / 400 * 255;
  // Percentage in the y direction, times 255
  let y = Math.ceil(i / 400) / 100 * 255;

  // Modify pixel data
  imageData.data[i + 0] = x;        // R value
  imageData.data[i + 1] = y;        // G value
  imageData.data[i + 2] = 255 - x;  // B value
  imageData.data[i + 3] = 255;      // A value
}

// Draw image data to the canvas
ctx.putImageData(imageData, 20, 20);

Result

More examples

For more examples using ImageData.data, see Pixel manipulation with canvas, CanvasRenderingContext2D.createImageData(), and CanvasRenderingContext2D.putImageData().

Specifications

Specification
HTML Standard
# dom-imagedata-data-dev

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser

See also