diff --git a/test/assets/grace_hopper_517x606.jpg b/test/assets/encode_jpeg/grace_hopper_517x606.jpg
similarity index 100%
rename from test/assets/grace_hopper_517x606.jpg
rename to test/assets/encode_jpeg/grace_hopper_517x606.jpg
diff --git a/test/assets/jpeg_write/grace_hopper_517x606_pil.jpg b/test/assets/encode_jpeg/jpeg_write/grace_hopper_517x606_pil.jpg
similarity index 100%
rename from test/assets/jpeg_write/grace_hopper_517x606_pil.jpg
rename to test/assets/encode_jpeg/jpeg_write/grace_hopper_517x606_pil.jpg
diff --git a/test/assets/fakedata/logos/cmyk_pytorch.jpg b/test/assets/fakedata/logos/cmyk_pytorch.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..16ee8b2b4bc
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/assets/fakedata/logos/cmyk_pytorch.jpg differ
diff --git a/test/assets/fakedata/logos/gray_pytorch.jpg b/test/assets/fakedata/logos/gray_pytorch.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..60c9c7cf705
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/assets/fakedata/logos/gray_pytorch.jpg differ
diff --git a/test/assets/fakedata/logos/rgb_pytorch.jpg b/test/assets/fakedata/logos/rgb_pytorch.jpg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d49e658b94f
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/assets/fakedata/logos/rgb_pytorch.jpg differ
diff --git a/test/assets/grace_hopper_517x606.pth b/test/assets/grace_hopper_517x606.pth
deleted file mode 100644
index 54b39dc0cd7..00000000000
Binary files a/test/assets/grace_hopper_517x606.pth and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/test/test_cpp_models.py b/test/test_cpp_models.py
index b6654a0278d..6deb5d79739 100644
--- a/test/test_cpp_models.py
+++ b/test/test_cpp_models.py
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ def process_model(model, tensor, func, name):
 
 
 def read_image1():
-    image_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'assets', 'grace_hopper_517x606.jpg')
+    image_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'assets', 'encode_jpeg',
+                              'grace_hopper_517x606.jpg')
     image = Image.open(image_path)
     image = image.resize((224, 224))
     x = F.to_tensor(image)
@@ -33,7 +34,8 @@ def read_image1():
 
 
 def read_image2():
-    image_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'assets', 'grace_hopper_517x606.jpg')
+    image_path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'assets', 'encode_jpeg',
+                              'grace_hopper_517x606.jpg')
     image = Image.open(image_path)
     image = image.resize((299, 299))
     x = F.to_tensor(image)
diff --git a/test/test_datasets_utils.py b/test/test_datasets_utils.py
index cab0f90c51b..2c6599ce497 100644
--- a/test/test_datasets_utils.py
+++ b/test/test_datasets_utils.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 
 TEST_FILE = get_file_path_2(
-    os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'assets', 'grace_hopper_517x606.jpg')
+    os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'assets', 'encode_jpeg', 'grace_hopper_517x606.jpg')
 
 
 class Tester(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/test/test_image.py b/test/test_image.py
index 45a4258816e..b3ab0b2364a 100644
--- a/test/test_image.py
+++ b/test/test_image.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 FAKEDATA_DIR = os.path.join(IMAGE_ROOT, "fakedata")
 IMAGE_DIR = os.path.join(FAKEDATA_DIR, "imagefolder")
 DAMAGED_JPEG = os.path.join(IMAGE_ROOT, 'damaged_jpeg')
+ENCODE_JPEG = os.path.join(IMAGE_ROOT, "encode_jpeg")
 
 
 def get_images(directory, img_ext):
@@ -33,14 +34,44 @@ def get_images(directory, img_ext):
                 yield os.path.join(root, fl)
 
 
+def pil_read_image(img_path):
+    with Image.open(img_path) as img:
+        return torch.from_numpy(np.array(img))
+
+
+def normalize_dimensions(img_pil):
+    if len(img_pil.shape) == 3:
+        img_pil = img_pil.permute(2, 0, 1)
+    else:
+        img_pil = img_pil.unsqueeze(0)
+    return img_pil
+
+
 class ImageTester(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_decode_jpeg(self):
+        conversion = [(None, 0), ("L", 1), ("RGB", 3)]
         for img_path in get_images(IMAGE_ROOT, ".jpg"):
-            img_pil = torch.load(img_path.replace('jpg', 'pth'))
-            img_pil = img_pil.permute(2, 0, 1)
-            data = read_file(img_path)
-            img_ljpeg = decode_jpeg(data)
-            self.assertTrue(img_ljpeg.equal(img_pil))
+            for pil_mode, channels in conversion:
+                with Image.open(img_path) as img:
+                    is_cmyk = img.mode == "CMYK"
+                    if pil_mode is not None:
+                        if is_cmyk:
+                            # libjpeg does not support the conversion
+                            continue
+                        img = img.convert(pil_mode)
+                    img_pil = torch.from_numpy(np.array(img))
+                    if is_cmyk:
+                        # flip the colors to match libjpeg
+                        img_pil = 255 - img_pil
+
+                img_pil = normalize_dimensions(img_pil)
+                data = read_file(img_path)
+                img_ljpeg = decode_image(data, channels=channels)
+
+                # Permit a small variation on pixel values to account for implementation
+                # differences between Pillow and LibJPEG.
+                abs_mean_diff = (img_ljpeg.type(torch.float32) - img_pil).abs().mean().item()
+                self.assertTrue(abs_mean_diff < 2)
 
         with self.assertRaisesRegex(RuntimeError, "Expected a non empty 1-dimensional tensor"):
             decode_jpeg(torch.empty((100, 1), dtype=torch.uint8))
@@ -68,7 +99,7 @@ def test_damaged_images(self):
                 decode_jpeg(data)
 
     def test_encode_jpeg(self):
-        for img_path in get_images(IMAGE_ROOT, ".jpg"):
+        for img_path in get_images(ENCODE_JPEG, ".jpg"):
             dirname = os.path.dirname(img_path)
             filename, _ = os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(img_path))
             write_folder = os.path.join(dirname, 'jpeg_write')
@@ -111,7 +142,7 @@ def test_encode_jpeg(self):
             encode_jpeg(torch.empty((100, 100), dtype=torch.uint8))
 
     def test_write_jpeg(self):
-        for img_path in get_images(IMAGE_ROOT, ".jpg"):
+        for img_path in get_images(ENCODE_JPEG, ".jpg"):
             data = read_file(img_path)
             img = decode_jpeg(data)
 
@@ -134,20 +165,25 @@ def test_write_jpeg(self):
             self.assertEqual(torch_bytes, pil_bytes)
 
     def test_decode_png(self):
+        conversion = [(None, 0), ("L", 1), ("LA", 2), ("RGB", 3), ("RGBA", 4)]
         for img_path in get_images(FAKEDATA_DIR, ".png"):
-            img_pil = torch.from_numpy(np.array(Image.open(img_path)))
-            if len(img_pil.shape) == 3:
-                img_pil = img_pil.permute(2, 0, 1)
-            else:
-                img_pil = img_pil.unsqueeze(0)
-            data = read_file(img_path)
-            img_lpng = decode_png(data)
-            self.assertTrue(img_lpng.equal(img_pil))
+            for pil_mode, channels in conversion:
+                with Image.open(img_path) as img:
+                    if pil_mode is not None:
+                        img = img.convert(pil_mode)
+                    img_pil = torch.from_numpy(np.array(img))
 
-            with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
-                decode_png(torch.empty((), dtype=torch.uint8))
-            with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
-                decode_png(torch.randint(3, 5, (300,), dtype=torch.uint8))
+                img_pil = normalize_dimensions(img_pil)
+                data = read_file(img_path)
+                img_lpng = decode_image(data, channels=channels)
+
+                tol = 0 if conversion is None else 1
+                self.assertTrue(img_lpng.allclose(img_pil, atol=tol))
+
+        with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
+            decode_png(torch.empty((), dtype=torch.uint8))
+        with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError):
+            decode_png(torch.randint(3, 5, (300,), dtype=torch.uint8))
 
     def test_encode_png(self):
         for img_path in get_images(IMAGE_DIR, '.png'):
@@ -196,19 +232,6 @@ def test_write_png(self):
 
             self.assertTrue(img_pil.equal(saved_image))
 
-    def test_decode_image(self):
-        for img_path in get_images(IMAGE_ROOT, ".jpg"):
-            img_pil = torch.load(img_path.replace('jpg', 'pth'))
-            img_pil = img_pil.permute(2, 0, 1)
-            img_ljpeg = decode_image(read_file(img_path))
-            self.assertTrue(img_ljpeg.equal(img_pil))
-
-        for img_path in get_images(IMAGE_DIR, ".png"):
-            img_pil = torch.from_numpy(np.array(Image.open(img_path)))
-            img_pil = img_pil.permute(2, 0, 1)
-            img_lpng = decode_image(read_file(img_path))
-            self.assertTrue(img_lpng.equal(img_pil))
-
     def test_read_file(self):
         with get_tmp_dir() as d:
             fname, content = 'test1.bin', b'TorchVision\211\n'
diff --git a/test/test_transforms.py b/test/test_transforms.py
index f9add6d1b57..72100d0feac 100644
--- a/test/test_transforms.py
+++ b/test/test_transforms.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 
 GRACE_HOPPER = get_file_path_2(
-    os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'assets', 'grace_hopper_517x606.jpg')
+    os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'assets', 'encode_jpeg', 'grace_hopper_517x606.jpg')
 
 
 class Tester(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/read_image_cpu.cpp b/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/read_image_cpu.cpp
index ad11ee666b9..5839017d3d7 100644
--- a/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/read_image_cpu.cpp
+++ b/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/read_image_cpu.cpp
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 #include "read_image_cpu.h"
 #include <cstring>
 
-torch::Tensor decode_image(const torch::Tensor& data) {
+torch::Tensor decode_image(const torch::Tensor& data, int64_t channels) {
   // Check that the input tensor dtype is uint8
   TORCH_CHECK(data.dtype() == torch::kU8, "Expected a torch.uint8 tensor");
   // Check that the input tensor is 1-dimensional
   TORCH_CHECK(
       data.dim() == 1 && data.numel() > 0,
       "Expected a non empty 1-dimensional tensor");
+  TORCH_CHECK(
+      channels >= 0 && channels <= 4, "Number of channels not supported");
 
   auto datap = data.data_ptr<uint8_t>();
 
@@ -15,9 +17,9 @@ torch::Tensor decode_image(const torch::Tensor& data) {
   const uint8_t png_signature[4] = {137, 80, 78, 71}; // == "\211PNG"
 
   if (memcmp(jpeg_signature, datap, 3) == 0) {
-    return decodeJPEG(data);
+    return decodeJPEG(data, channels);
   } else if (memcmp(png_signature, datap, 4) == 0) {
-    return decodePNG(data);
+    return decodePNG(data, channels);
   } else {
     TORCH_CHECK(
         false,
diff --git a/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/read_image_cpu.h b/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/read_image_cpu.h
index c8538cc88c6..e926a8474da 100644
--- a/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/read_image_cpu.h
+++ b/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/read_image_cpu.h
@@ -3,4 +3,6 @@
 #include "readjpeg_cpu.h"
 #include "readpng_cpu.h"
 
-C10_EXPORT torch::Tensor decode_image(const torch::Tensor& data);
+C10_EXPORT torch::Tensor decode_image(
+    const torch::Tensor& data,
+    int64_t channels = 0);
diff --git a/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readjpeg_cpu.cpp b/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readjpeg_cpu.cpp
index dd2354e4467..d093dca0963 100644
--- a/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readjpeg_cpu.cpp
+++ b/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readjpeg_cpu.cpp
@@ -1,18 +1,16 @@
 #include "readjpeg_cpu.h"
 
 #include <ATen/ATen.h>
-#include <setjmp.h>
 #include <string>
 
 #if !JPEG_FOUND
-
-torch::Tensor decodeJPEG(const torch::Tensor& data) {
+torch::Tensor decodeJPEG(const torch::Tensor& data, int64_t channels) {
   TORCH_CHECK(
       false, "decodeJPEG: torchvision not compiled with libjpeg support");
 }
-
 #else
 #include <jpeglib.h>
+#include <setjmp.h>
 #include "jpegcommon.h"
 
 struct torch_jpeg_mgr {
@@ -71,13 +69,16 @@ static void torch_jpeg_set_source_mgr(
   src->pub.next_input_byte = src->data;
 }
 
-torch::Tensor decodeJPEG(const torch::Tensor& data) {
+torch::Tensor decodeJPEG(const torch::Tensor& data, int64_t channels) {
   // Check that the input tensor dtype is uint8
   TORCH_CHECK(data.dtype() == torch::kU8, "Expected a torch.uint8 tensor");
   // Check that the input tensor is 1-dimensional
   TORCH_CHECK(
       data.dim() == 1 && data.numel() > 0,
       "Expected a non empty 1-dimensional tensor");
+  TORCH_CHECK(
+      channels == 0 || channels == 1 || channels == 3,
+      "Number of channels not supported");
 
   struct jpeg_decompress_struct cinfo;
   struct torch_jpeg_error_mgr jerr;
@@ -100,15 +101,41 @@ torch::Tensor decodeJPEG(const torch::Tensor& data) {
 
   // read info from header.
   jpeg_read_header(&cinfo, TRUE);
+
+  int current_channels = cinfo.num_components;
+
+  if (channels > 0 && channels != current_channels) {
+    switch (channels) {
+      case 1: // Gray
+        cinfo.out_color_space = JCS_GRAYSCALE;
+        break;
+      case 3: // RGB
+        cinfo.out_color_space = JCS_RGB;
+        break;
+      /*
+       * Libjpeg does not support converting from CMYK to grayscale etc. There
+       * is a way to do this but it involves converting it manually to RGB:
+       * https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/blob/86871065265b04e0db8ca360c046421efb2bdeb4/tensorflow/core/lib/jpeg/jpeg_mem.cc#L284-L313
+       *
+       */
+      default:
+        jpeg_destroy_decompress(&cinfo);
+        TORCH_CHECK(false, "Invalid number of output channels.");
+    }
+
+    jpeg_calc_output_dimensions(&cinfo);
+  } else {
+    channels = current_channels;
+  }
+
   jpeg_start_decompress(&cinfo);
 
   int height = cinfo.output_height;
   int width = cinfo.output_width;
-  int components = cinfo.output_components;
 
-  auto stride = width * components;
-  auto tensor = torch::empty(
-      {int64_t(height), int64_t(width), int64_t(components)}, torch::kU8);
+  int stride = width * channels;
+  auto tensor =
+      torch::empty({int64_t(height), int64_t(width), channels}, torch::kU8);
   auto ptr = tensor.data_ptr<uint8_t>();
   while (cinfo.output_scanline < cinfo.output_height) {
     /* jpeg_read_scanlines expects an array of pointers to scanlines.
diff --git a/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readjpeg_cpu.h b/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readjpeg_cpu.h
index 70482caa81f..0e7bb137d12 100644
--- a/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readjpeg_cpu.h
+++ b/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readjpeg_cpu.h
@@ -2,4 +2,6 @@
 
 #include <torch/torch.h>
 
-C10_EXPORT torch::Tensor decodeJPEG(const torch::Tensor& data);
+C10_EXPORT torch::Tensor decodeJPEG(
+    const torch::Tensor& data,
+    int64_t channels = 0);
diff --git a/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readpng_cpu.cpp b/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readpng_cpu.cpp
index 6fbe04ac033..fbca228b436 100644
--- a/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readpng_cpu.cpp
+++ b/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readpng_cpu.cpp
@@ -2,23 +2,26 @@
 
 // Comment
 #include <ATen/ATen.h>
-#include <setjmp.h>
 #include <string>
 
+#define PNG_FOUND 1
 #if !PNG_FOUND
-torch::Tensor decodePNG(const torch::Tensor& data) {
+torch::Tensor decodePNG(const torch::Tensor& data, int64_t channels) {
   TORCH_CHECK(false, "decodePNG: torchvision not compiled with libPNG support");
 }
 #else
 #include <png.h>
+#include <setjmp.h>
 
-torch::Tensor decodePNG(const torch::Tensor& data) {
+torch::Tensor decodePNG(const torch::Tensor& data, int64_t channels) {
   // Check that the input tensor dtype is uint8
   TORCH_CHECK(data.dtype() == torch::kU8, "Expected a torch.uint8 tensor");
   // Check that the input tensor is 1-dimensional
   TORCH_CHECK(
       data.dim() == 1 && data.numel() > 0,
       "Expected a non empty 1-dimensional tensor");
+  TORCH_CHECK(
+      channels >= 0 && channels <= 4, "Number of channels not supported");
 
   auto png_ptr =
       png_create_read_struct(PNG_LIBPNG_VER_STRING, nullptr, nullptr, nullptr);
@@ -72,30 +75,79 @@ torch::Tensor decodePNG(const torch::Tensor& data) {
     TORCH_CHECK(retval == 1, "Could read image metadata from content.")
   }
 
-  int channels;
-  switch (color_type) {
-    case PNG_COLOR_TYPE_RGB:
-      channels = 3;
-      break;
-    case PNG_COLOR_TYPE_RGB_ALPHA:
-      channels = 4;
-      break;
-    case PNG_COLOR_TYPE_GRAY:
-      channels = 1;
-      break;
-    case PNG_COLOR_TYPE_GRAY_ALPHA:
-      channels = 2;
-      break;
-    case PNG_COLOR_TYPE_PALETTE:
-      channels = 1;
-      break;
-    default:
-      png_destroy_read_struct(&png_ptr, &info_ptr, nullptr);
-      TORCH_CHECK(false, "Image color type is not supported.");
+  int current_channels = png_get_channels(png_ptr, info_ptr);
+
+  if (channels > 0) {
+    // TODO: consider supporting PNG_INFO_tRNS
+    bool is_palette = (color_type & PNG_COLOR_MASK_PALETTE) != 0;
+    bool has_color = (color_type & PNG_COLOR_MASK_COLOR) != 0;
+    bool has_alpha = (color_type & PNG_COLOR_MASK_ALPHA) != 0;
+
+    switch (channels) {
+      case 1: // Gray
+        if (is_palette) {
+          png_set_palette_to_rgb(png_ptr);
+          has_alpha = true;
+        }
+
+        if (has_alpha) {
+          png_set_strip_alpha(png_ptr);
+        }
+
+        if (has_color) {
+          png_set_rgb_to_gray(png_ptr, 1, 0.2989, 0.587);
+        }
+        break;
+      case 2: // Gray + Alpha
+        if (is_palette) {
+          png_set_palette_to_rgb(png_ptr);
+          has_alpha = true;
+        }
+
+        if (!has_alpha) {
+          png_set_add_alpha(png_ptr, (1 << bit_depth) - 1, PNG_FILLER_AFTER);
+        }
+
+        if (has_color) {
+          png_set_rgb_to_gray(png_ptr, 1, 0.2989, 0.587);
+        }
+        break;
+      case 3:
+        if (is_palette) {
+          png_set_palette_to_rgb(png_ptr);
+          has_alpha = true;
+        } else if (!has_color) {
+          png_set_gray_to_rgb(png_ptr);
+        }
+
+        if (has_alpha) {
+          png_set_strip_alpha(png_ptr);
+        }
+        break;
+      case 4:
+        if (is_palette) {
+          png_set_palette_to_rgb(png_ptr);
+          has_alpha = true;
+        } else if (!has_color) {
+          png_set_gray_to_rgb(png_ptr);
+        }
+
+        if (!has_alpha) {
+          png_set_add_alpha(png_ptr, (1 << bit_depth) - 1, PNG_FILLER_AFTER);
+        }
+        break;
+      default:
+        png_destroy_read_struct(&png_ptr, &info_ptr, nullptr);
+        TORCH_CHECK(false, "Invalid number of output channels.");
+    }
+
+    png_read_update_info(png_ptr, info_ptr);
+  } else {
+    channels = current_channels;
   }
 
-  auto tensor = torch::empty(
-      {int64_t(height), int64_t(width), int64_t(channels)}, torch::kU8);
+  auto tensor =
+      torch::empty({int64_t(height), int64_t(width), channels}, torch::kU8);
   auto ptr = tensor.accessor<uint8_t, 3>().data();
   auto bytes = png_get_rowbytes(png_ptr, info_ptr);
   for (png_uint_32 i = 0; i < height; ++i) {
diff --git a/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readpng_cpu.h b/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readpng_cpu.h
index f84fd99fa92..a36032ddb25 100644
--- a/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readpng_cpu.h
+++ b/torchvision/csrc/cpu/image/readpng_cpu.h
@@ -4,4 +4,6 @@
 #include <torch/torch.h>
 #include <string>
 
-C10_EXPORT torch::Tensor decodePNG(const torch::Tensor& data);
+C10_EXPORT torch::Tensor decodePNG(
+    const torch::Tensor& data,
+    int64_t channels = 0);
diff --git a/torchvision/io/image.py b/torchvision/io/image.py
index 2279be3ad10..01e1e1e5ca0 100644
--- a/torchvision/io/image.py
+++ b/torchvision/io/image.py
@@ -74,19 +74,24 @@ def write_file(filename: str, data: torch.Tensor) -> None:
     torch.ops.image.write_file(filename, data)
 
 
-def decode_png(input: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
+def decode_png(input: torch.Tensor, channels: int = 0) -> torch.Tensor:
     """
     Decodes a PNG image into a 3 dimensional RGB Tensor.
+    Optionally converts the image to the desired number of color channels.
     The values of the output tensor are uint8 between 0 and 255.
 
     Arguments:
         input (Tensor[1]): a one dimensional uint8 tensor containing
     the raw bytes of the PNG image.
+        channels (int): the number of output channels for the decoded
+    image. 0 keeps the original number of channels, 1 converts to Grayscale
+    2 converts to Grayscale with Alpha, 3 converts to RGB and 4 coverts to
+    RGB with Alpha. Default: 0
 
     Returns:
-        output (Tensor[3, image_height, image_width])
+        output (Tensor[image_channels, image_height, image_width])
     """
-    output = torch.ops.image.decode_png(input)
+    output = torch.ops.image.decode_png(input, channels)
     return output
 
 
@@ -132,17 +137,23 @@ def write_png(input: torch.Tensor, filename: str, compression_level: int = 6):
     write_file(filename, output)
 
 
-def decode_jpeg(input: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
+def decode_jpeg(input: torch.Tensor, channels: int = 0) -> torch.Tensor:
     """
     Decodes a JPEG image into a 3 dimensional RGB Tensor.
+    Optionally converts the image to the desired number of color channels.
     The values of the output tensor are uint8 between 0 and 255.
+
     Arguments:
         input (Tensor[1]): a one dimensional uint8 tensor containing
     the raw bytes of the JPEG image.
+        channels (int): the number of output channels for the decoded
+    image. 0 keeps the original number of channels, 1 converts to Grayscale
+    and 3 converts to RGB. Default: 0
+
     Returns:
-        output (Tensor[3, image_height, image_width])
+        output (Tensor[image_channels, image_height, image_width])
     """
-    output = torch.ops.image.decode_jpeg(input)
+    output = torch.ops.image.decode_jpeg(input, channels)
     return output
 
 
@@ -191,11 +202,12 @@ def write_jpeg(input: torch.Tensor, filename: str, quality: int = 75):
     write_file(filename, output)
 
 
-def decode_image(input: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
+def decode_image(input: torch.Tensor, channels: int = 0) -> torch.Tensor:
     """
     Detects whether an image is a JPEG or PNG and performs the appropriate
     operation to decode the image into a 3 dimensional RGB Tensor.
 
+    Optionally converts the image to the desired number of color channels.
     The values of the output tensor are uint8 between 0 and 255.
 
     Parameters
@@ -203,28 +215,39 @@ def decode_image(input: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
     input: Tensor
         a one dimensional uint8 tensor containing the raw bytes of the
         PNG or JPEG image.
+    channels: int
+        the number of output channels of the decoded image. JPEG and PNG images
+        have different permitted values. The default value is 0 and it keeps
+        the original number of channels. See `decode_jpeg()` and `decode_png()`
+        for more information. Default: 0
 
     Returns
     -------
-    output: Tensor[3, image_height, image_width]
+    output: Tensor[image_channels, image_height, image_width]
     """
-    output = torch.ops.image.decode_image(input)
+    output = torch.ops.image.decode_image(input, channels)
     return output
 
 
-def read_image(path: str) -> torch.Tensor:
+def read_image(path: str, channels: int = 0) -> torch.Tensor:
     """
     Reads a JPEG or PNG image into a 3 dimensional RGB Tensor.
+    Optionally converts the image to the desired number of color channels.
     The values of the output tensor are uint8 between 0 and 255.
 
     Parameters
     ----------
     path: str
         path of the JPEG or PNG image.
+    channels: int
+        the number of output channels of the decoded image. JPEG and PNG images
+        have different permitted values. The default value is 0 and it keeps
+        the original number of channels. See `decode_jpeg()` and `decode_png()`
+        for more information. Default: 0
 
     Returns
     -------
-    output: Tensor[3, image_height, image_width]
+    output: Tensor[image_channels, image_height, image_width]
     """
     data = read_file(path)
-    return decode_image(data)
+    return decode_image(data, channels)