# Creating vImage pixel buffers Allocate and initialize pixel buffers from raw pixel data, Core Graphics images, and Core Video buffers. ## Topics ### Creating a pixel buffer [`init(size: vImage.Size, pixelFormat: Format.Type)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(size:pixelFormat:)-12gl9) Returns a new multiplane pixel buffer with a size that you specify. [`init(size: vImage.Size, pixelFormat: Format.Type)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(size:pixelFormat:)-96ocu) Returns a new pixel buffer with a size that you specify. [`init(width: Int, height: Int, pixelFormat: Format.Type)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(width:height:pixelFormat:)) Returns a new pixel buffer with a width and height that you specify. [`struct Size`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/Size) A structure that contains width and height values. ### Creating a pixel buffer from raw pixel data [`init(pixelValues: U, size: vImage.Size, pixelFormat: Format.Type)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(pixelValues:size:pixelFormat:)) Creates a new pixel buffer by copying the supplied collection of pixel values. [`init(data: UnsafeMutableRawPointer, width: Int, height: Int, byteCountPerRow: Int, pixelFormat: Format.Type)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(data:width:height:byteCountPerRow:pixelFormat:)-zwzz) Returns a new buffer that references existing data. [`init(data: UnsafeMutableRawPointer, width: Int, height: Int, byteCountPerRow: Int?, pixelFormat: Format.Type)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(data:width:height:byteCountPerRow:pixelFormat:)-27czc) Calculates the correct bytes per row and returns a new buffer that references existing data. ### Creating a pixel buffer from a Core Graphics image [`init(cgImage: CGImage, cgImageFormat: inout vImage_CGImageFormat, pixelFormat: Format.Type) throws`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(cgImage:cgImageFormat:pixelFormat:)) Returns a new pixel buffer initialized from a Core Graphics image. ### Creating a pixel buffer from a Core Video buffer [`init(copying: CVPixelBuffer, cvImageFormat: vImageCVImageFormat, cgImageFormat: inout vImage_CGImageFormat, pixelFormat: Format.Type) throws`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(copying:cvImageFormat:cgImageFormat:pixelFormat:)) Initializes a pixel buffer by copying the data from a Core Video pixel buffer. [`init(referencing: CVPixelBuffer, converter: vImageConverter, destinationPixelFormat: Format.Type)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(referencing:converter:destinationPixelFormat:)) Returns a new pixel buffer that references the specified Core Video pixel buffer and populated converter. [`init(referencing: CVPixelBuffer, planeIndex: Int, overrideSize: vImage.Size?, pixelFormat: Format.Type)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(referencing:planeIndex:overrideSize:pixelFormat:)) Initializes a pixel buffer by refencing the data from a single plane of a multiplane Core Video pixel buffer. ### Creating a multiple-plane buffer from an interleaved buffer [`init(interleavedBuffer: vImage.PixelBuffer)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(interleavedBuffer:)-9xct6) Creates a 3-channel, 8-bit-per-channel multiple-plane buffer from a 3-channel, 8-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer. [`init(interleavedBuffer: vImage.PixelBuffer)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(interleavedBuffer:)-8f6xn) Creates a 4-channel, 8-bit-per-channel mutiple-plane buffer from a 4-channel, 8-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer. [`init(interleavedBuffer: vImage.PixelBuffer)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(interleavedBuffer:)-77n3i) Creates a 3-channel, 32-bit-per-channel multiple-plane buffer from a 3-channel, 32-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer. [`init(interleavedBuffer: vImage.PixelBuffer)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(interleavedBuffer:)-2hc6f) Creates a 4-channel, 32-bit-per-channel multiple-plane buffer from a 4-channel, 32-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer. ### Creating an interleaved buffer from another buffer [`init(planarBuffers: [vImage.PixelBuffer])`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(planarBuffers:)-727d) Creates a 2-channel, 8-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer from two 8-bit planar buffers. [`init(planarBuffers: [vImage.PixelBuffer])`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(planarBuffers:)-6r9p0) Creates a 3-channel, 8-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer from three 8-bit planar buffers. [`init(planarBuffers: [vImage.PixelBuffer])`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(planarBuffers:)-6hkso) Creates a 4-channel, 8-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer from four 8-bit planar buffers. [`init(planarBuffers: [vImage.PixelBuffer])`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(planarBuffers:)-8nt2j) Creates a 4-channel, 8-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer from four 32-bit planar buffers. [`init(planarBuffers: [vImage.PixelBuffer])`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(planarBuffers:)-n2mq) Creates a 2-channel, 32-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer from two 32-bit planar buffers. [`init(planarBuffers: [vImage.PixelBuffer])`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(planarBuffers:)-7wt24) Creates a 3-channel, 32-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer from three 32-bit planar buffers. [`init(planarBuffers: [vImage.PixelBuffer])`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(planarBuffers:)-59s4n) Creates a 4-channel, 32-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer from four 32-bit planar buffers. [`init(planarBuffers: [vImage.PixelBuffer])`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(planarBuffers:)-2575t) Creates a 4-channel, 16-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer from four 16-bit planar buffers. [`init(lumaSource: vImage.PixelBuffer, chromaSource: vImage.PixelBuffer, conversionInfo: vImage_YpCbCrToARGB)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(lumaSource:chromaSource:conversionInfo:)) Creates a 4-channel, 8-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer from a planar Yp buffer and a two-channel interleaved CbCr buffer. [`init(interleavedBuffer: vImage.PixelBuffer)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(interleavedBuffer:)-35or3) Creates a 4-channel, 32-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer from a 4-channel, 8-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer. ### Creating a multiple-plane buffer from planar buffers [`init(planarBuffers: [vImage.PixelBuffer], pixelFormat: Format.Type)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/init(planarBuffers:pixelFormat:)) Returns an initialized buffer by copying the specified planar buffers. ### Creating a pixel buffer and image format [`static func makeDynamicPixelBufferAndCGImageFormat(cgImage: CGImage) throws -> (pixelBuffer: vImage.PixelBuffer, cgImageFormat: vImage_CGImageFormat)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/makeDynamicPixelBufferAndCGImageFormat(cgImage:)) Returns a new dynamic pixel format pixel buffer and Core Graphics image format structure from a Core Graphics image. [`static func makePixelBufferAndCGImageFormat(cgImage: CGImage, pixelFormat: Format.Type) throws -> (pixelBuffer: vImage.PixelBuffer, cgImageFormat: vImage_CGImageFormat)`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PixelBuffer/makePixelBufferAndCGImageFormat(cgImage:pixelFormat:)) Returns a new pixel buffer and Core Graphics image format structure from a Core Graphics image. --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)