Abstract: In this study, we present an image contrast enhancement method based on block-wise intensity pair distribution. The proposed algorithm takes the local intensity-pair distribution, instead of using the intensity-pair distribution of the whole image. To deal with the issues of contrast stretch and over-enhancement, a linear magnitude mapping function is used as a substitute to a non-linear one. This linear mapping preserves the relative contrast enhancement ratio between the gray levels. The local information from blocks facilitates contrast enhancement, enhances subtle edge information and eliminates noises from the image. The proposed algorithm is suitable for detail analysis of image features.