Image to ASCII
Turn any photo into text art made of characters. Adjust the width and flip between light and dark output.
Drop an image here
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How to convert an image to ASCII
- Drop one image into the upload area, or click to select it from your device.
- Set the output width in characters, up to 200.
- Toggle Invert if you want light-on-dark text instead, then copy or download the result.
FAQs
Is my image uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser using the Canvas API, so your image never leaves your device.
How are pixels turned into characters?
Each pixel's brightness is measured and mapped to a character ramp from faint to dense, so brighter areas use heavier characters like @ and #.
Why does the output look stretched?
The tool corrects for monospace character cells being taller than wide. If it still looks off, reduce the width or view the result in a fixed-width font.
Is the tool free to use?
Yes. Every Handio tool is free, with no sign-up, no limits and no watermarks.
Related Tools
Why convert an image to ASCII?
ASCII art is a fun, lightweight way to share an image where pictures are not practical, like in a code comment, a terminal or a plain-text email.
- Embed an image as text in a source file or README.
- Create retro terminal-style art from any photo.
- Share a visual in a plain-text medium where images are not allowed.
Tips and Limits
Use a lower width for a compact image and a higher width for more detail, but note that wide outputs get very large. High-contrast images read best. Everything is processed locally in your browser.