Image to ASCII art
Turn an image into ASCII art (characters), copyable or downloadable.
- Instant
- Free
- Private (processed locally)
- No sign-up
Your image, drawn in characters
Choose an image: the tool converts it to ASCII art by mapping each area to a character by its brightness. Adjust the width, invert if needed, copy or download the result.
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Choose an image
It stays on your device.
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Set the width
In number of characters (30 to 150).
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Copy or download
The ASCII text, ready to share.
The brightness ramp
| Area | Character | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Very light | (space) | almost empty |
| Medium | + = * | mid-tone |
| Very dark | # % @ | dense |
Canvas resampling, height halved to compensate for character width. 100% local conversion, no upload.
Frequently asked questions
How does an image become text?
The image is shrunk to a small grid (the width you choose in characters). For each cell, the average brightness is computed then mapped to a character from a ramp going from space (light) to “@” (dense).
Why are characters taller than wide?
A monospace font is about twice as tall as it is wide. The tool compensates by halving the height so the ASCII keeps the image’s correct proportions.
What does the “invert” option do?
It swaps light and dense: useful depending on whether you display the text on a light or dark background. Invert if the result looks like a negative of the image.
Is my image sent anywhere?
No. Decoding and conversion happen on a canvas in your browser; the image never leaves your device. You can copy the ASCII or download it as a .txt file.