Image to ASCII

Converts an image into ASCII art.

Image to ASCII converts an image into ASCII art directly in your browser. It samples the image, maps each pixel's brightness to a character from a density ramp (@%#*+=-:. ), and produces text art you can copy anywhere. It's handy for adding image-based banners to terminals, README files, code comments, or chat messages.

Common uses

  • Turn a logo or photo into a text banner for a CLI tool's startup screen
  • Generate ASCII art to paste into README files, code comments, or commit messages
  • Create text-only graphics for plain-text emails, IRC, or chat where images aren't supported
  • Quickly preview how an image reduces to monochrome brightness levels
  • Produce retro-style ASCII output for documentation or terminal MOTD files

FAQ

Is my image sent to a server?

No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser using a canvas and local pixel data. Your image is never uploaded and nothing leaves your device.

What image formats are supported?

Any image format your browser can decode is accepted, since loading is handled by the browser's native Image element. This typically includes PNG, JPEG, GIF, WebP, and SVG.

How do I control the size of the output?

Use the Columns option to set the output width in characters (default 80). The value is clamped between 1 and 400, and the height is computed automatically from the image's aspect ratio (scaled by 0.5 to account for taller-than-wide character cells).

How are pixels mapped to characters?

Each pixel's luminance is calculated as 0.299*R + 0.587*G + 0.114*B, then mapped to one character from the ramp '@%#*+=-:. '. Darker pixels use denser characters and brighter pixels use lighter ones, so color is reduced to brightness only.

Why does my output look stretched or capped in width?

Output width is limited to a maximum of 400 columns, and height is multiplied by 0.5 so the art isn't vertically stretched in fixed-width fonts. View the result in a monospaced font for correct proportions.

Related tools

  • Base64 → File
  • EXIF Viewer
  • Favicon Generator
  • Image → Base64
  • Image Color Extractor
  • Image Format Converter
  • Image Diff
  • Image Resize