ASCII art is a graphic design technique that uses characters from the ASCII character set to create images and text-based visuals. It originated in the early days of computing when graphical displays were limited.

How do I convert text to ASCII art?

Simply type your text into the generator above, choose a font style, and click Generate. Your text will be instantly converted to ASCII art that you can copy and share.

How do I convert an image to ASCII art?

Upload your image using the image upload button, adjust the detail level and character set, and the tool will automatically convert your image to ASCII art in real time.

Is Asciify free to use?

Yes, Asciify is completely free to use. No account or registration required.

What can I use ASCII art for?

ASCII art is great for terminal applications, README files on GitHub, social media posts, emails, retro-style creative projects, and anywhere you want text-based visuals.

Can I convert a video to ASCII art?

Yes. Upload MP4, WebM or MOV (QuickTime from iPhone/Mac is supported via WebCodecs) and asciify.art extracts every frame and plays the result back as ASCII animation in your browser. Static images, animated GIFs and short clips all work the same way. There are no upload size or duration limits — processing happens locally, so the only ceiling is your device's RAM.

Does the webcam ASCII filter work in real time?

Yes. Click "Use webcam" to grant camera permission and asciify.art renders your live feed as ASCII at around 12 frames per second. The video stream never leaves your browser. Snap a frame and download it as TXT, PNG or HTML.

Can I convert an animated GIF to ASCII?

Yes. Drop an animated GIF and asciify.art uses gifuct-js to decode every frame, applies the GIF disposal rules correctly and replays the ASCII version with the original delays. Loop is preserved.

Is my video uploaded to a server?

No. All video, GIF, webcam and image processing happens client-side in your browser using Canvas, WebCodecs and mp4box.js. Nothing is uploaded, stored or transcoded on a server. The page works offline once loaded.

Can AI agents use asciify.art?

Yes. asciify.art exposes a public Model Context Protocol (MCP) server at https://asciify.art/api/mcp so AI agents can generate ASCII banners and browse the public gallery without opening a browser. No authentication is required; the endpoint is rate-limited to 10 requests per minute per IP. Agents running in an MCP-capable browser also get the same tools via WebMCP. See https://asciify.art/docs/api for details.

[asciify.art]

Name: Asciify
Author: asciify.art

Convert images, videos, animated GIFs, webcam feeds and text to ASCII art. Free online generator with FIGlet banners, retro terminal effects and 14 animated backgrounds. Everything runs in your browser — no uploads, no signup.

pixelden.io — free pixel art games

PixelDen — Free Pixel Art Games

Play 16+ free retro games in your browser. Arcade, puzzles, tower defense & more — with leaderboards and achievements.

Play Now→

PixelDen — Free Pixel Art Games

Play 16+ free retro games in your browser. Arcade, puzzles, tower defense & more.

Play Now→

  +-------------------------+
  |   /\  ASCII  ARCADE  /\ |
  |   \/   9 tiny games   \/ |
  +-------------------------+

> play asciify arcade

snake · pong · breakout · invaders · memory · flappy · ore-merge · runner · dodger — all rendered in pure ASCII

[enter] →

Features

Image to ASCII Art

Convert any image (PNG, JPEG, WebP, HEIC) to ASCII art using Canvas API analysis. 12 character sets, brightness & contrast sliders, palette themes.

Video to ASCII Art

Upload MP4, WebM or MOV and watch every frame play back as ASCII animation. Powered by WebCodecs + mp4box.js — no upload, no transcode, no server.

Webcam to ASCII

Real-time live ASCII filter for your webcam at ~12 fps. Stream never leaves your browser. Snap a frame and export as PNG / TXT / HTML.

GIF to ASCII Animation

Drop an animated GIF. asciify.art decodes every frame with gifuct-js, preserves disposal rules and replays the ASCII loop with original delays.

Text Art Banners

Generate large FIGlet-style text art banners with dozens of fonts. Perfect for README headers and terminal art.

14 Animated Backgrounds

ASCII backgrounds gallery — wave, matrix rain, aurora, fire, DNA, circuit and more. Embeddable on any site.

Retro Effects

Apply CRT scanlines, matrix rain, glitch distortion, cyber neon, and more to give your art an authentic retro feel.

Multiple Exports

Export as TXT, styled PNG, animated GIF, or HTML+CSS. Copy to clipboard with one click.

Public Gallery

Share your creations in the community gallery. Browse ASCII art made by other users for inspiration.

Private by Design

All image processing runs in your browser. Your files never leave your device unless you choose to share.

AI Agent Ready (MCP)

A public MCP server at /api/mcp lets AI agents generate ASCII banners and browse the gallery without a browser. WebMCP registers the same tools for in-browser agents.

How to Convert Images to ASCII Art

Upload an image

Drag and drop, paste from clipboard, or use the upload command. Supports JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, and more.

Adjust settings

Set output width, choose a character set, toggle inversion, and pick a color. Use the toolbar or type commands.

Apply effects

Add CRT scanlines, matrix rain, glitch, or neon glow to give your ASCII art a retro terminal aesthetic.

Export and share

Copy to clipboard, download as TXT, PNG, GIF, or HTML. Save to the public gallery to share with others.

Character Sets

simple

 .:-=+*#%@

detailed

 .'`^",:;Il!i><~+_-?][}{1)(|/tfjrxnuvczXYUJCLQ0OZmwqpdbkhao*#MW&8%B@

blocks

 ░▒▓█

dots

 ⠁⠂⠃⠄⠅⠆⠇⡀⡁⡂⡃⡄⡅⡆⡇

minimal

.*#

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ASCII art?: ASCII art is a graphic design technique that uses characters from the ASCII character set to create images and text-based visuals. It originated in the early days of computing when graphical displays were limited.
How do I convert text to ASCII art?: Simply type your text into the generator above, choose a font style, and click Generate. Your text will be instantly converted to ASCII art that you can copy and share.
How do I convert an image to ASCII art?: Upload your image using the image upload button, adjust the detail level and character set, and the tool will automatically convert your image to ASCII art in real time.
Is Asciify free to use?: Yes, Asciify is completely free to use. No account or registration required.
What can I use ASCII art for?: ASCII art is great for terminal applications, README files on GitHub, social media posts, emails, retro-style creative projects, and anywhere you want text-based visuals.
Can I convert a video to ASCII art?: Yes. Upload MP4, WebM or MOV (QuickTime from iPhone/Mac is supported via WebCodecs) and asciify.art extracts every frame and plays the result back as ASCII animation in your browser. Static images, animated GIFs and short clips all work the same way. There are no upload size or duration limits — processing happens locally, so the only ceiling is your device's RAM.
Does the webcam ASCII filter work in real time?: Yes. Click "Use webcam" to grant camera permission and asciify.art renders your live feed as ASCII at around 12 frames per second. The video stream never leaves your browser. Snap a frame and download it as TXT, PNG or HTML.
Can I convert an animated GIF to ASCII?: Yes. Drop an animated GIF and asciify.art uses gifuct-js to decode every frame, applies the GIF disposal rules correctly and replays the ASCII version with the original delays. Loop is preserved.
Is my video uploaded to a server?: No. All video, GIF, webcam and image processing happens client-side in your browser using Canvas, WebCodecs and mp4box.js. Nothing is uploaded, stored or transcoded on a server. The page works offline once loaded.
Can AI agents use asciify.art?: Yes. asciify.art exposes a public Model Context Protocol (MCP) server at https://asciify.art/api/mcp so AI agents can generate ASCII banners and browse the public gallery without opening a browser. No authentication is required; the endpoint is rate-limited to 10 requests per minute per IP. Agents running in an MCP-capable browser also get the same tools via WebMCP. See https://asciify.art/docs/api for details.

Sometimes spelled asci art, acsii art, or acii art — our ASCII art generator handles any style. Whether you call it text art, ASCII art, or character art, Asciify has you covered.