AO Map Generator
Generate an ambient occlusion map from an image, preview the result, and download a PNG in your browser. Your source image stays on your device.
Create an AO Map Online
Upload a PNG or JPG up to 10MB. Adjust AO strength, range, and blur, preview the result, and download an ambient occlusion map as a PNG.
What Is an AO Map?
An ambient occlusion (AO) map is a grayscale texture that adds soft shading where surfaces are close together or partially blocked from ambient light. Darker pixels usually represent creases, contact areas, and cavities; lighter pixels represent more open areas.
An AO map adds depth cues to a material, but it does not replace scene lighting or create real geometry. Use it as a subtle input in the target material, especially for props, walls, and modular environments.
For the broader texture workflow, read what a normal map is or follow how to make a normal map. The Normal Map Generator can create normal, displacement, AO, and specular outputs from the same source image. For grayscale height data, use the Displacement Map Generator.
How to Generate an AO Map
Create a usable ambient occlusion map in three steps, then check the preview before exporting.
Upload a texture
Choose a PNG or JPG with visible surface detail and upload it. The file is processed in your browser and must be no larger than 10MB.
Adjust the AO settings
Use Strength for darker contact shading, Range for how far nearby pixels contribute, and Blur/Sharp to soften noise or emphasize detail.
Download the result
Preview the ambient occlusion map beside the source texture, then download the current output as a PNG for your material workflow.
Where to Use AO Maps
An AO map works best as a controlled shading detail layered into a material, not as a replacement for lighting.
Game assets
Add contact and cavity shading to props, modular walls, and environment textures while keeping the effect subtle enough for real-time scenes.
3D rendering and ArchViz
Support the appearance of seams, joins, and recesses on architectural materials when the scene needs extra local depth cues.
PBR material preparation
Use the generated AO as a first pass, then check the target renderer because some workflows calculate ambient occlusion inside the shader instead.