ASCII Magic
Open tool

/STYLE · PIXEL ART

Photo to Pixel Art — Free

Turn any photo or video into clean pixel art — 8-bit, 16-bit or modern pixel looks, generated in real time inside a full-featured pixel art editor. Adjustable pixel size, palette and contrast. No signup, runs entirely in your browser.

Open the editor →

/SEE IT

From photo to pixel art in one click

Drop any photo into the editor and pick the Pixel Art style. The tool downsamples your image to a clean pixel grid and quantises the colour palette — producing a sharp 8-bit / 16-bit look that reads from any distance.

Original colour photograph used as the input source — before any pixel art conversion is applied
Original
The same photograph rendered as pixel art with a downsampled pixel grid and quantised colour palette — clean 8-bit / 16-bit retro look
Pixel art output

/MORE EXAMPLES

Pixel art across pixel sizes, palettes and contrast

Same photo, six different pixel art settings. Adjust pixel size for that crunchy 8-bit feel or fine 32-bit detail; tweak palette for moody monochrome, retro pastel, or vibrant arcade colour; nudge contrast and edge emphasis for either soft or sharp output. Every image below is a real ASCII Magic export — no AI, no upscaling, just clean pixelation.

Pixel art portrait converted from a colour photograph using a clean square pixel grid — classic 8-bit / 16-bit retro look
Pixel Art · classic 8-bit look
Photo rendered as pixel art with a soft pastel palette — gentle low-contrast pixelation suited to portraits
Pixel Art · soft palette
Pixel art version of an image with a vibrant arcade-style colour palette — high-saturation pixelation
Pixel Art · arcade colour
Photo pixelated with bold large pixels and high contrast — chunky NES-era pixel art look
Pixel Art · bold large pixels
Pixel art rendered with a fine pixel grid — modern indie-game pixel detail level
Pixel Art · fine detail grid
Photo turned into pixel art with a moody dark palette — high-contrast retro game cover aesthetic
Pixel Art · moody contrast

Same source photo, six different pixel-art settings. The editor lets you tune pixel size, palette, contrast and edge emphasis in real time — your output updates within milliseconds as you drag the sliders.

/HOW IT WORKS

Make pixel art in four steps

  1. Drop your image

    Drag any JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF or MP4 into the editor. No upload — your file stays in the browser.

  2. Pick the Pixel Art style

    The Pixel Art renderer downsamples your image to a clean pixel grid and quantises the palette.

  3. Tune the look

    Adjust pixel size, palette depth, contrast, brightness, edge emphasis and background mode in real time.

  4. Export

    Save as PNG, JPG, animated GIF or MP4 — at up to 4× source resolution. No watermark.

/WHY ASCII MAGIC

Built for pixel art specifically

Adjustable pixel size

From chunky 8-bit (Atari / NES) all the way to fine 32-bit modern indie pixel art. One slider sets the entire vibe.

Real-time pixel art editor

Every pixel-size step, every palette, every post-effect — updates within milliseconds. No render queue, no waiting.

Built-in pixel art video maker

Drop an MP4 or WebM clip — every frame renders with the same pixel grid. Export as a looping MP4 or animated GIF.

4× resolution exports

A 1080p source exports up to 4320×2440. Print-ready, poster-ready, wallpaper-ready. No watermark.

/FAQS

Common questions about pixel art

What is pixel art?
Pixel art is a form of digital art created on the scale of individual pixels. Originally popularised by 8-bit and 16-bit video games (Atari, NES, SNES, Game Boy), the style uses a limited resolution and palette to produce clean, blocky imagery where every pixel is intentional. A pixel art generator like ASCII Magic recreates this look from any source photo or video automatically.
How do I turn a photo into pixel art for free?
Open ASCII Magic in your browser, drop your photo into the editor, and pick the Pixel Art style. The tool downsamples your image to a chosen pixel grid (typically 32×32 to 256×256), quantises the palette, and renders it in real time. Adjust the pixel size, palette, contrast and brightness, then export as PNG, JPG or animated GIF.
Can I convert a video to pixel art?
Yes. Drop an MP4, MOV or WebM video into ASCII Magic, pick the Pixel Art style, and every frame renders with the same pixel grid and palette. Export the result as an MP4 (H.264) or animated GIF. Works on videos up to 150 MB.
Can I make 8-bit, 16-bit or 32-bit pixel art?
Yes. The pixel size slider controls how chunky the output looks — large pixels read as classic 8-bit (NES / Game Boy era), medium pixels feel like 16-bit (SNES / Mega Drive era), and small pixels approach 32-bit modern indie pixel art. The palette can be quantised to match each era, or left full-colour for a contemporary pixel look.
What resolution can I export?
Stills export at 1×, 2×, 3× or 4× source resolution. A 1080p source at 4× gives you a 4320×2440 print-ready pixel art file — large enough for posters, phone wallpapers, desktop wallpapers, or shirt prints. GIF and MP4 exports are capped at 4K.
Does ASCII Magic upload my photos to a server?
No. Every conversion runs locally in your browser using HTML5 Canvas. Your image or video never leaves your device — no upload, no cloud processing. Safe for sensitive or unreleased work.
Can I use the exported pixel art commercially?
Yes. Output is yours — use it in client work, social posts, prints, music videos, NFTs, game assets, commercial websites, anything. The only rights you need are whatever applies to the source image you uploaded.

/CREATE ART IN SECONDS

Photos and videos into pixel art — in your browser.

Every pixel-size step, every palette updates the preview instantly — export at up to 4× resolution. Free forever.

Try it out now

/RELATED STYLES

Or try a different art style

ASCII Art → Voxel Cubes Photo Mosaic LEGO Art

ASCII Art is live. Other styles unlock as their pages ship — typically one new style page per week.