About Image to ASCII Art Converter — ASCII & ANSI Online
This image to ASCII art generator converts any picture — PNG, JPEG, GIF, or WebP — into text art built from a brightness ramp. Each pixel cell is sampled for its luminance and mapped to a character, from spaces for the brightest areas to dense glyphs like "@" for the darkest, producing a faithful monochrome rendering you can paste into a README, a code comment, an email signature, or a terminal banner.
Unlike a picture to ASCII converter that uploads your file to a server, this one does everything in your browser using the Canvas API. The image is loaded, downscaled, and read locally — it never leaves your device, so it works offline and keeps private images private.
Tune the resolution to trade detail for compactness, pick a character ramp, and invert the mapping for light-on-dark terminals. Then copy the result or download it as a plain .txt file.
Features
- Convert any image to ASCII art entirely in the browser
- Adjustable resolution (column count) for more or less detail
- Multiple character ramps plus an invert toggle for dark backgrounds
- Copy to clipboard or download as a .txt file — nothing is uploaded
How to use
- Choose an image file, or drag and drop one onto the dropzone.
- Drag the columns slider to set the output resolution.
- Pick a character ramp and toggle invert if your background is dark.
- Copy the ASCII art or download it as a .txt file.
Frequently asked questions
Is my image uploaded anywhere?
No. The image is decoded and sampled locally with the browser Canvas API. Nothing is sent to a server, so the tool works fully offline and your images stay on your device.
What image formats are supported?
Anything the browser can decode — PNG, JPEG, GIF, WebP, BMP, and SVG. The image is drawn to a canvas, so format support matches your browser.
Why does the art look stretched or squished?
Monospace characters are taller than they are wide, so the converter samples rows at about half the column rate to keep proportions correct. If it still looks off, adjust the column count.
What is the character ramp?
It is the ordered set of characters used from darkest to lightest. A short ramp like " .:-=+*#%@" gives bold, high-contrast art; a longer ramp captures more tonal detail. Invert flips it for light text on a dark terminal.
How do I get cleaner results?
High-contrast images with a clear subject convert best. Increase the column count for more detail, or invert the ramp depending on whether you will view the art on a light or dark background.
Related tools
Everything runs locally in your browser — your input is never uploaded.