<!--
{
  "documentType" : "article",
  "framework" : "Accelerate",
  "identifier" : "/documentation/Accelerate/pixel-formats",
  "metadataVersion" : "0.1.0",
  "role" : "collectionGroup",
  "title" : "Pixel formats"
}
-->

# Pixel formats

Specify a pixel buffer’s bit depth, number of channels, and data storage format.

## Topics

### Planar pixel formats

[`struct Planar8`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/Planar8)

A single-channel, 8-bit-per-channel, unsigned-integer buffer.

[`struct Planar16U`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/Planar16U)

A single-channel, 16-bit-per-channel, unsigned-integer buffer.

[`struct Planar16F`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/Planar16F)

A single-channel, 16-bit-per-channel, floating-point buffer.

[`struct PlanarF`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PlanarF)

A single-channel, 32-bit-per-channel, floating-point buffer.

### Multiple-plane pixel formats

[`struct Planar8x2`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/Planar8x2)

A pixel buffer that contains two homogeneous 8-bit planes, for example, CbCr.

[`struct Planar8x3`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/Planar8x3)

A pixel buffer that contains three homogeneous 8-bit planes, for example, RGB.

[`struct Planar8x4`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/Planar8x4)

A pixel buffer that contains four homogeneous 8-bit planes, for example, RGBA or CMYK.

[`struct PlanarFx2`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PlanarFx2)

A pixel buffer that contains two homogeneous 32-bit, floating-point planes, for example, CbCr.

[`struct PlanarFx3`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PlanarFx3)

A pixel buffer that contains three homogeneous 32-bit, floating-point planes, for example, RGB.

[`struct PlanarFx4`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/PlanarFx4)

A pixel buffer that contains four homogeneous 32-bit, floating-point planes, for example, RGBA or CMYK.

### Interleaved pixel formats

[`struct Interleaved8x2`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/Interleaved8x2)

A two-channel, 8-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer.

[`struct Interleaved8x3`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/Interleaved8x3)

A three-channel, 8-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer.

[`struct Interleaved8x4`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/Interleaved8x4)

A four-channel, 8-bit-per-channel interleaved buffer.

[`struct Interleaved16Ux2`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/Interleaved16Ux2)

A two-channel, 16-bit-per-channel, unsigned-integer interleaved buffer.

[`struct Interleaved16Ux4`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/Interleaved16Ux4)

A four-channel, 16-bit-per-channel, unsigned-integer interleaved buffer.

[`struct Interleaved16Fx2`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/Interleaved16Fx2)

A two-channel, 16-bit-per-channel, floating-point interleaved buffer.

[`struct Interleaved16Fx4`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/Interleaved16Fx4)

A four-channel, 16-bit-per-channel, floating-point interleaved buffer.

[`struct InterleavedFx2`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/InterleavedFx2)

A two-channel, 32-bit-per-channel, floating-point interleaved buffer.

[`struct InterleavedFx3`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/InterleavedFx3)

A three-channel, 32-bit-per-channel, floating-point interleaved buffer.

[`struct InterleavedFx4`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/InterleavedFx4)

A four-channel, 32-bit-per-channel, floating-point interleaved buffer.

### Dynamic pixel formats

[`struct DynamicPixelFormat`](/documentation/Accelerate/vImage/DynamicPixelFormat)

A buffer that contains pixels with a data type that’s unknown at compile time.

### Protocols

[`protocol PixelFormat`](/documentation/Accelerate/PixelFormat)

A pixel buffer pixel format.

[`protocol StaticPixelFormat`](/documentation/Accelerate/StaticPixelFormat)

A pixel format that’s known at compile time.

[`protocol InitializableFromCGImage`](/documentation/Accelerate/InitializableFromCGImage)

A pixel format that supports initialization from a Core Graphics image.

[`protocol SinglePlanePixelFormat`](/documentation/Accelerate/SinglePlanePixelFormat)

A pixel format that contains a single underlying vImage buffer.

[`protocol MultiplePlanePixelFormat`](/documentation/Accelerate/MultiplePlanePixelFormat)

A pixel format that contains multiple homogeneous planes represented by multiple underlying vImage buffers.


---

Copyright &copy; 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)