Image to ASCII Art Generator

About the Image to ASCII Art Generator

We built this tool as a fun and creative way to transform your images into art made entirely from text characters. ASCII art is a classic form of digital art that uses letters, numbers, and symbols to create a picture. Our generator lets you upload any image, and it will intelligently analyze the brightness of each pixel to construct a text-based version of your photo. The tool correctly handles aspect ratios to ensure your art is not stretched or distorted.

How to Use the Tool

• Click the upload area to browse for an image, or simply drag and drop a file onto it.
• Once the image is loaded, the ASCII art will be generated instantly in the right-hand panel.
• Use the "Width" slider to control the level of detail. A higher number means more characters and a more detailed image.
• Experiment with the "Character Set" dropdown to change the texture and style of the art.
• Toggle the "Invert Brightness" switch for a light-on-dark effect, which looks great on dark-themed websites.
• Use the buttons to copy the text art, download it as a `.txt` file, or clear everything to start over.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does this generator work?

The tool works by loading your image onto a hidden HTML canvas. It then resizes the image down to your specified width, while intelligently calculating the height to maintain the original aspect ratio and account for the fact that text characters are taller than they are wide. It then goes through each pixel of the small version, calculates its brightness, and maps that brightness to a character from the selected set. Darker pixels get denser characters (like `@` or `#`), and lighter pixels get sparser characters (like `.` or `'`).

How can I get the best results?

For the best ASCII art, use images that have good contrast and clear subjects. A simple portrait or a clear object will often work better than a busy landscape with lots of fine detail. Don't be afraid to experiment with the "Width" slider and the different "Character Sets" to see what looks best for your specific image.

What does "Invert Brightness" do?

Normally, the tool maps dark pixels to dense characters and light pixels to sparse characters, which looks best on a light background. The "Invert Brightness" option reverses this, mapping dark pixels to sparse characters and light pixels to dense ones. This creates a "negative" image that is perfect for displaying as white text on a dark background.

Is the image I upload kept private?

Yes, absolutely. The entire process of reading the image and converting it to ASCII art happens in your web browser. Your images are never sent to our servers, so your files and your art remain completely private to you.