ASCII Art Generator: Text and Image to ASCII Art
Type a word and turn it into big ASCII art letters, or upload a photo and convert it to ASCII characters. This free ASCII art generator has two modes: text to ASCII banners in a choice of classic FIGlet style fonts, and image to ASCII with adjustable width, character sets and brightness. Copy the result as plain text, download it as a .txt file or save it as a PNG. It runs in your browser, so your text and pictures are never uploaded.
Use it for code comments and README banners, terminal and server login messages, Discord and forum posts, email signatures in plain text, retro style posters, or just for fun.
Use the tool13 FIGlet fonts
Standard, Slant, Big, Banner, Block, Doom and more, previewed with your own text.
Image to ASCII
Convert a photo with six character sets, contrast, brightness and colour.
Copy or download
Plain text, a .txt file or a PNG, with code comment wrappers.
Private by design
Your words and pictures stay in your browser and are never uploaded.
Type a short word on the Text tab and pick a font to make a big ASCII banner. To convert a picture, open the Image tab, add a photo and set the width. Then copy the result, or download it as a text file or PNG.
Key Takeaways
- ASCII art only lines up in a monospace font, so paste it into a code block or a code comment.
- Short words work best for text banners. Choose a compact font such as Small for longer phrases.
- For pictures, a width of about 80 to 120 characters suits most screens, and 40 to 60 suits phones.
- Simple subjects with strong contrast convert best. Try Invert if the result looks like a negative.
- Everything runs in your browser, so personal photos are never uploaded.
How to Make ASCII Art From Text
-
1STEP 1 Open the Text to ASCII tab and type your word or short phrase.
-
2STEP 2 Pick a font. The preview updates as you click through them, so you can see your own text in every style.
-
3STEP 3 Set the width if you need the banner to fit a certain line length, such as 80 characters for a terminal.
-
4STEP 4 Copy the art, or download it as a text file or PNG image.
-
5STEP 5 Paste it into a code comment, a README or a message. For the best result, paste into a place that uses a monospace font.
Text to ASCII Art Examples
The same word looks very different in each font. Here is "Hi" in three popular styles, made by the same method this tool uses.
Standard
_ _ _
| | | (_)
| |_| | |
| _ | |
|_| |_|_|Slant
__ ___
/ / / (_)
/ /_/ / /
/ __ / /
/_/ /_/_/Banner3
## ## ####
## ## ##
## ## ##
######### ##
## ## ##
## ## ##
## ## ####Short words work best. A single long phrase can become very wide, so break it into lines or choose a compact font such as Small.
How to Convert an Image to ASCII Art
- 1Open the Image to ASCII tab and upload a photo, or drag one into the box. JPG, PNG and WebP work in all modern browsers.
- 2Choose the output width. About 80 to 120 characters suits most screens. Higher numbers show more detail.
- 3Pick a character set. The standard ramp is the classic look, and block characters give a smoother, shaded look.
- 4Adjust contrast and brightness until the shapes stand out, and use Invert if your image has a light subject on a dark background.
- 5Copy or download the result.
How image to ASCII works
The tool shrinks your image to the width you chose, turns it to greyscale, and replaces each pixel with a character. Dark pixels get dense characters that look heavy, and light pixels get sparse ones that look light. A common ramp from light to dark is shown below.
Light -> Dark " .:-=+*#%@" (space, ., :, -, =, +, *, #, %, @)Because characters are taller than they are wide, the tool corrects for this by sampling fewer rows than columns, so your picture keeps its proportions and does not look stretched.
| Character set | Characters | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Standard ramp | Space . : - = + * # % @ | Portraits and classic ASCII look |
| Detailed ramp | About 70 characters from light to dark | Photos with fine detail |
| Blocks | Light to full block characters | Smooth, shaded images |
| Binary | 0 and 1 | Matrix and hacker style effects |
| Minimal | # and . | Logos and high contrast shapes |
What Is ASCII Art?
ASCII art is a way to draw pictures and decorate text using only the characters on a keyboard. ASCII, short for American Standard Code for Information Interchange, defines 128 characters, of which 95 are printable letters, digits, symbols and the space. Artists have used these characters to make pictures since the early days of computers and printers, long before images were easy to share.
Today it is used for banners in code and terminal programs, decorative signatures, retro style posters and memes, and anywhere only plain text is allowed.
ASCII Art vs Unicode Art vs ANSI Art
| Type | Characters used | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ASCII art | The 95 printable ASCII characters | Works everywhere, including old terminals and code files |
| Unicode art | Block, box and braille characters beyond ASCII | Smoother images, but needs font support |
| ANSI art | ASCII or block characters plus colour codes | Used in terminals and old bulletin boards |
This tool makes true ASCII art for text and the standard ramps, and optional block characters for smoother images. If you need plain ASCII only, choose a standard ramp.
Where to Use ASCII Art
- Code comments and README files. A banner at the top of a script or project is easy to spot.
- Terminal and server messages. Login banners and command line tools often show ASCII logos.
- Forums, chat and Discord. Wrap it in a code block so the spacing is kept.
- Plain text email and signatures, where no images are allowed.
- Social bios and posts, where it makes your text stand out.
- Posters, T-shirts and retro designs, using the PNG download.
Why Does My ASCII Art Look Broken? Fixes
- The alignment is wrong after pasting. The place you pasted into uses a proportional font. Use a code block, or a platform that uses a monospace font.
- Lines wrap in the middle. The art is wider than the space. Lower the width, choose a smaller font, or shorten the text.
- The image looks squashed or stretched. Keep the aspect ratio option on, and check that your font is monospace.
- Letters look different on a phone. Narrow screens wrap long lines. Reduce the width to 40 to 60 characters for phones.
- Special characters do not appear. Some fonts only cover letters and digits. Try a different font or use plain text.
- Spaces disappear. Some apps trim leading spaces. Use a code block or add a visible character at the start of each line.
Tips for Better ASCII Art
- For images, choose a simple subject with strong contrast, such as a face against a plain background.
- Crop tight before you upload. Cropping to the subject gives more detail in the same number of characters.
- Try Invert if the result looks like a negative.
- For text, test two or three fonts and choose the one that stays readable at your target width.
Is My Text or Image Private?
Yes. Text banners and image conversions happen in your browser. Your words and photos are not uploaded or stored, so you can use personal pictures without sending them anywhere.
More Free Text and Fun Tools
Make your text stand out in other ways with the Cursive Text Generator, Glitch Text Generator, Small Text Generator or Instagram Font Generator. Send a message as dots and dashes with the Morse Code Translator, or turn text into 0s and 1s with the Binary to Text converter.
FAQs
How do I make ASCII art online?
Open the generator, type your text or upload an image, and pick a font or character set. The art appears at once. Copy it, or download it as a text file or PNG. Everything runs in your browser, so your text and pictures are not uploaded anywhere.
How do I convert a picture to ASCII art?
Upload your image in the Image to ASCII tab and choose an output width, usually 80 to 120 characters. The tool turns the picture to greyscale and replaces each pixel with a character, dense for dark areas and light for bright areas. Adjust contrast, try Invert, then copy the result.
Why does my ASCII art look broken when I paste it?
ASCII art only lines up when every character has the same width, which is true for monospace fonts. If you paste into a place with a normal font, letters shift. Paste inside a code block, or use an app that shows monospace text, and check that lines are not wrapping.
What fonts are available for text to ASCII art?
The text tab offers classic FIGlet style fonts such as Standard, Slant, Big, Banner, Block, Doom, Small and Shadow, among others. The preview shows your own text in each style, so you can compare. Compact fonts suit long words, and bold block styles suit short titles.
What is the best width for image to ASCII art?
Around 80 to 120 characters suits most screens and keeps detail. Use 40 to 60 for phones and small chat windows, and 150 or more when you want fine detail for a poster or PNG. Wider output needs a smaller font size to fit on screen, so check the preview.
Is ASCII art the same as emoji or Unicode art?
No. ASCII art uses only the 95 printable ASCII characters, such as letters, digits and symbols. Emoji and Unicode art use many more characters and need font support. ASCII art works everywhere, including terminals and code files, which is why developers still use it.
Can I use ASCII art in code and Discord?
Yes. In code, put it inside a comment block. In Discord and many forums, wrap it in a code block, using three backticks before and after, so spacing is kept. Check line width, because long lines may wrap on small screens and break the picture.
Are my images uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs in your browser, and your image is not sent to a server or stored. You can safely use personal photos. The result is plain text that you copy or download yourself. Close the tab and nothing is kept.
Related Free Tools
Cursive Text Generator
Copy and paste cursive, script and gothic text.
Open the toolGlitch Text Generator
Make zalgo and cursed text, or clean it up.
Open the toolSmall Text Generator
Tiny text, superscript, subscript and small caps.
Open the toolInstagram Font Generator
Fonts for your bio, name and captions.
Open the toolReady to make some ASCII art?
Go back to the generator, type a word or add a picture, and copy your art.
Use the tool