ASCII art is a graphic design technique that uses printable ASCII characters (letters, numbers, and symbols) to create images or text art. It's commonly used in code comments, terminal displays, and retro-style designs.

How do I create ASCII art from text?

Enter your text, choose an ASCII style (simple, medium, complex, blocks, dots, or shades), set the width, and the ASCII art is generated automatically. You can customize colors and invert the output.

Can I convert images to ASCII art?

Yes! Upload an image file, set the width (number of characters), and the tool converts the image to ASCII art. The conversion analyzes the image and maps pixels to ASCII characters based on brightness.

What ASCII styles are available?

Six styles: Simple (basic characters), Medium (detailed characters), Complex (very detailed), Blocks (block characters), Dots (dot characters), and Shades (shaded characters). Each creates a different visual effect.

Can I customize the colors?

Yes! Enable color mode and choose a color for the ASCII art. The color is applied to the text output. You can also invert the colors for a different look.

Is the ASCII art generator free?

Yes, completely free! No registration, no limits, no hidden fees. All ASCII art generation happens in your browser - we never see or store your text or images.

🎨 ASCII Art Generator

Generate ASCII art from text or images online for free. Choose from multiple styles, customize colors, and export as text or HTML. Perfect for code comments, art projects, and retro aesthetics.

ASCII Art Settings

Mode:

Text

Font Size: 80px

ASCII Style:

Invert colorsUse color (from image)

Auto-generate as you edit

Preview

ASCII art will appear here

Enter text and adjust settings

What is ASCII Art?

ASCII art is a graphic design technique that uses printable ASCII characters to create images and text art. It was popular in the early days of computing when graphics capabilities were limited, and remains popular today for code comments, retro aesthetics, and text-based art.

Our free ASCII art generator creates ASCII art from text or images instantly in your browser. Choose from multiple styles (simple, medium, complex, blocks, dots, shades), customize colors, and export as plain text or HTML. Perfect for developers, artists, and anyone who loves retro computer aesthetics.

How to Use Our ASCII Art Generator

Choose Mode: Select Text mode to convert text to ASCII art, or Image mode to convert images to ASCII art.
Enter Text or Upload Image: For text mode, enter up to 30 characters. For image mode, upload a PNG, JPG, or other image file.
Select Style: Choose from 6 ASCII styles: simple (basic characters), medium (detailed), complex (very detailed), blocks, dots, or shades.
Adjust Settings: For text mode, adjust font size (20-200px). For image mode, set width in characters (40-200).
Customize: Toggle invert colors for negative effect, or enable color mode to preserve image colors (image mode only).
Export: Copy to clipboard, export as TXT file, or export as HTML with styling.

Common Use Cases

💻 Code Comments

Add ASCII art banners to your code comments for visual separation, headers, or just for fun. Export as plain text to paste directly into your code.

🎨 Art Projects

Create text-based art for social media, forums, or messaging apps. ASCII art works great in monospace fonts and adds a retro aesthetic to your projects.

📱 Social Media

Generate ASCII art text for Twitter, Discord, or other platforms that support monospace text. Perfect for creating eye-catching headers or signatures.

🖼️ Image Conversion

Convert photos or images to ASCII art. Great for creating unique profile pictures, art pieces, or converting images to text format for special purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What image formats are supported?

You can upload any common image format (PNG, JPG, JPEG, GIF, WebP). The generator will convert the image to ASCII art by analyzing pixel brightness and mapping it to ASCII characters.

Can I use color in ASCII art?

Yes! Enable "Use color (from image)" to preserve colors from uploaded images. The color mode creates HTML output with color-coded characters. Note: Color only works in HTML export, not plain text.

What's the difference between styles?

Simple uses basic characters (@, %, #, *), medium uses more detailed characters for better gradients, complex uses the most detailed character set. Blocks, dots, and shades use special Unicode characters for different visual effects.

How do I use the exported ASCII art?

Plain text (TXT) can be pasted into code comments, text editors, or anywhere that supports monospace fonts. HTML export creates a complete HTML file with styling that you can open in a browser or embed in web pages.

Is my image stored or transmitted?

No, all ASCII art generation happens entirely in your browser. We never see, store, or transmit any of your images or settings. Your privacy is completely protected.