Turn photos into ASCII art, free

ASCII art maps brightness to characters — a dense glyph where the image is dark, a sparse one where it is light. It began as a way to make pictures on printers and terminals that could only output text, and it still reads as pure early-computer aesthetic.

Open the ascii tool →

Free · no sign-up · runs in your browser — your photo is never uploaded.

This converter samples your photo on a grid and picks a character per cell by luminance, in monochrome or keeping the original colours.

How to use it

Open the ASCII tool and load a photo.
Set the character Size — smaller cells preserve more detail, larger cells are more abstract.
Switch between Mono and Colour output.
Export as an image at full resolution.

Tips

Faces and simple silhouettes stay recognisable at larger cell sizes.
Mono output on a dark background is the classic terminal look.

FAQ

How do I convert a photo to ASCII art?

Sample the image on a grid and replace each cell with a character chosen by brightness. This tool does it automatically with adjustable size and colour.

Is it free?

Yes, free with no account, and your image never leaves your device.

More effects

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Try ASCII now →