Loading Images, Videos, and Webcam into ASCII

ASCII accepts JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, MP4, and MOV files via drag-and-drop, clipboard paste, the file picker, or live webcam capture in any modern browser.

You can load source media into ASCII in three ways: by dragging a file onto the page, by using the file picker, or by pasting an image directly from your clipboard. Once a source is loaded, the tool immediately renders ASCII art and displays the filename and dimensions below the drop zone. Videos add a scrub bar and playback controls; webcam mode feeds a live stream.

Supported formats

Image

ASCII accepts the following image formats:

Format	Notes
JPG / JPEG	Most common photo format
PNG	Lossless, supports transparency
WebP	Modern compressed format
GIF	Animated GIFs use only the first frame

After loading, the source info line below the drop zone shows the filename and pixel dimensions, for example: photo.jpg — 1920×1080.

Video

ASCII accepts MP4 and MOV video files. When a video loads:

• A scrub bar appears below the drop zone, letting you seek to any point in the video.
• A Play / Pause button lets you play the video in real time and see the ASCII render update live.
• The duration is displayed next to the scrub bar (e.g., 12.34s).

The ASCII canvas updates on every seek and on every frame while playing.

Webcam

Click the Start webcam button below the drop zone to begin a live webcam feed. The ASCII canvas will update in real time as the camera captures frames.

Your browser will ask for camera permission the first time you click Start webcam. You must grant permission for the feed to start. If you deny it, the tool will show a “Webcam access denied” alert.

Click Stop webcam (the same button, relabeled) to end the feed and release the camera.

Loading a file via drag-and-drop

1. Drag your file over the page

   Drag any supported image or video file from your file manager onto the browser window. A green overlay labeled DROP IMAGE appears over the entire page, confirming the drop target is active.

2. Release to load

   Drop the file anywhere on the page. The green overlay disappears and ASCII begins rendering immediately. The source info line updates with the filename and pixel dimensions.

3. Verify the source info

   Check the green text line directly below the drop zone. It shows the filename and the original pixel dimensions, for example sunset.png — 3840×2160. The output canvas is capped at 1600 px wide; sources wider than that are downsampled to fit.

Using the file picker

Click anywhere inside the dashed drop zone (labeled Drop image or click) to open your operating system’s file picker. Select any supported image or video file. The tool loads it the same way as a drag-and-drop.

You can paste an image directly from your clipboard without touching the file system. Copy any image (for example, a screenshot or an image copied from a web page) and press Ctrl+V (or Cmd+V on macOS) anywhere on the page. ASCII detects the clipboard image and loads it instantly.

Output canvas sizing

The output canvas width is capped at 1600 px. If the source image or video is wider, it is automatically downsampled to fit within that limit while preserving the aspect ratio. The source info line always shows the original dimensions, not the downsampled size.