01
An animal portrait for a README
A 1200×900 bear photo converted at 100 characters wide, black on white, produces a 100×38 block of text-art (3,838 characters) you can paste straight into a README.
Image to ASCII Art
Image ToolsConvert images to ASCII art online with adjustable width and colors — free and instant.
Image
About
About the Image to ASCII Art
Converts a photo into ASCII art with an adjustable width and a black-on-white or white-on-black scheme.
Developers and hobbyists use it to turn a photo into retro-style text art for a terminal, README file or forum signature, while anyone nostalgic for old computing aesthetics uses it just for fun. It's one of many free image tools on Toolapt, and like every tool here, it's free to use with no sign-up and no limit on how many times you run it.
Examples
Image to ASCII Art examples
3 worked examples
02
A terminal splash image
A logo converted at 60 characters wide with White on black gives a 60×30 block that matches a dark terminal background for a retro splash screen.
03
A wide, detailed conversion
A landscape photo converted at 300 characters wide gives a 300×100 block that captures much finer light and shadow detail than the default width — at the cost of a much larger block of text (about 30,000 characters).
Related tools
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to common questions about the Image to ASCII Art.
What does the Image to ASCII Converter do?
It converts a photo into ASCII art — a grid of text characters arranged so their density mimics the image's light and dark areas.
Is the Image to ASCII Converter free to use?
Yes. It's free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many times you use it.
Is my image safe when I use this tool?
Yes. The conversion happens entirely on your own device using your browser's built-in Canvas API — your image is never uploaded to a server.
What does the width setting control?
It's the number of characters across the output. A narrower width gives a more compact, blockier result; a wider one captures more fine detail but produces a much larger block of text.
Which colour scheme should I use?
Use black-on-white if you'll be pasting the result onto a light background, or white-on-black for a dark background like a terminal — try both and see which reads better for your image.
Can I paste the result anywhere text goes?
Yes. Click Copy after generating, and the ASCII art copies as plain text — best viewed in a monospaced font so the characters line up correctly.
Can I use the Image to ASCII Converter on my phone?
Yes. The page is fully responsive and works on mobile, tablet and desktop browsers alike.
Does the Image to ASCII Converter have any limitations?
It works best on images with clear light and dark contrast — very flat or low-contrast photos produce a less distinct result since ASCII art relies on brightness differences between characters.