ASCII Art Generator (Image to ASCII): what it does
ASCII art draws a picture with text characters: dense characters like @ and # for bright areas and light ones like . and : for dark ones (or the other way round on a white background). Add an image, choose how many characters wide the art should be, pick a character set (standard, detailed, blocks or binary) and a look (light on dark, dark on white, or in colour). Copy the result as plain text for chats, code comments and terminals, or download it as a PNG image. It is all made in your browser, so your image is never uploaded.
How to use it
- Drop a photo into the box, paste it with Ctrl+V, or tap to choose one from your phone.
- See the effect straight away. The thumbnails show every other effect on your photo too.
- Adjust the settings, and hold “Hold to compare” to see the original.
- Download at full resolution as JPG, PNG or WebP.
Tips
- Pictures with a clear subject and a plain background convert best. Raise Contrast for low-contrast photos.
- 60–100 characters across fits most chats and code comments; 150 or more gives detailed art for a PNG.
- Paste the text into a code block (```) or a monospace font, otherwise the columns won’t line up.
- The colour look only works as a PNG: plain text has no colours.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn an image into ASCII art?
Add the image, choose the number of characters across and a character set, then click “Copy text” to paste it anywhere, or Download to save it as a PNG.
Why does my ASCII art look stretched?
Text characters are about twice as tall as they are wide, and the generator corrects for that. If it still looks stretched, the place you pasted it is not using a monospace font or adds space between lines.
Is my image uploaded?
No. The ASCII art is made in your browser on your own device.