Image to ASCII Art

Free image to ASCII art converter. Turn photos into text art with adjustable width, several character sets and invert, then copy or download, no signup, runs locally.

Built and maintained by Shehzad Munir ·

Image to ASCII Art
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  • Image Tools
  • Free · No sign-up
  • Runs in your browser
  • 5 features
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Photos as text art

Convert any image into text-based ASCII art with adjustable width, multiple character sets and an invert option, then copy the text or download it.

ASCII art represents an image using characters of different densities, from dense symbols for dark areas to spaces for light ones. This converter samples your image's brightness and maps each region to a character, producing text art you can paste into terminals, code comments, chats or README files.

Features

  • Convert any image to ASCII text art
  • Full-colour mode or monochrome
  • Adjustable width & multiple character ramps
  • Invert for light or dark backgrounds
  • Copy, or export as .txt or a .png image

How to use Image to ASCII Art

  1. 1

    Upload an image

    Choose any photo or logo.

  2. 2

    Set the width

    More width means more detail.

  3. 3

    Choose a character set

    Pick a ramp and invert if needed.

  4. 4

    Copy or download

    Grab the ASCII text or save a .txt file.

Common use cases

  • Add ASCII art to a README or code comment
  • Make a text banner for a terminal app
  • Convert a logo to ASCII for a CLI
  • Create retro text art to share in chat

Detailed guide

Tune the detail and style

Increase the width for more detail, or pick a character set, from classic punctuation ramps to solid block characters, to change the look. Invert the mapping when you'll display it on a dark background. It all runs in your browser, so your images stay private, and you can copy the result or save it as a text file.

How photos become characters

The converter shrinks your image to a grid, one cell per character, and measures the brightness of each cell. It then picks a character whose visual density matches: dense characters like @ and # for dark areas, light ones like . and : for bright areas, and a space for white. More columns give more detail but a wider result. Because text characters are roughly twice as tall as they are wide, the tool compensates for the aspect ratio so faces don't look stretched. Invert mode swaps the mapping for light text on a dark background.

Getting the best result

Images with strong contrast and a clear subject convert best: portraits against a plain background, logos and silhouettes work far better than busy landscapes. Crop tightly and increase contrast before converting if the result looks muddy. ASCII art only lines up in a monospaced font, so paste it into code blocks, terminals or plain-text editors rather than normal chat messages, where proportional fonts will skew it. For Discord, Slack or GitHub, wrap it in triple backticks. Around 80 to 120 columns suits most screens and terminals.

Frequently asked questions

What is ASCII art?

ASCII art builds a picture out of text characters of varying visual density. Dense characters represent dark areas and spaces represent light ones, forming an image made of text.

How do I get more detail?

Increase the width to sample more of the image, and try the Detailed character set. Very large widths produce long output that suits monospace displays.

Can I use it on a dark background?

Yes: toggle Invert so the brightness mapping matches a dark background.

Are my images uploaded?

No. The conversion happens in your browser and your image is never uploaded.

How do I convert an image to ASCII art?

Upload an image and the tool maps its pixels to text characters, producing ASCII art you can copy or download. Adjust the detail and character set to change the style.

Can I get colored ASCII art or plain text?

Both. Choose plain monochrome text (great for READMEs and terminals) or colored ASCII for a richer look, then copy or save the result.

Can I control the detail and width of the ASCII output?

Yes. Set the output width and character density so the art is as coarse or detailed as you want for your target medium.

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