By Maya Chen, lettering designer and type educator · Checked by Jordan Hale · · How we review content
Key facts
- Steam's formatting help describes the [code] tag as a "fixed-width font, preserves spaces", which is what letter-based ASCII art needs where formatting is accepted.
- Braille Pattern characters (U+2800 to U+28FF) keep their width in many fonts, so Braille art holds its shape on Steam better than art made of letters.
- The blank Braille cell U+2800 replaces the space in Steam Braille art, because an ordinary space is narrower than a letter in proportional fonts.
- Steam does not document character limits for profile summaries and comments, so no number is stated; if the art is cut off, reduce the width.
- A width of about 30 to 40 characters is a sensible start for Steam art in Braille mode; check the result on your own profile.
- The converter runs in your browser, so the picture you choose is never uploaded.
This ASCII art Steam converter turns a picture into text art for your Steam profile summary or comments, using Braille dots or ordinary characters. It is for Steam users who want art that keeps its shape in a proportional font, and it returns plain text you can copy and paste.
How to use the ASCII art Steam converter
- Choose an image, drop one on the box, paste one, or press Use the sample.
- Pick Braille dots under Characters and set the Width to around 30 to 40, then raise Contrast until the subject stands out.
- Press Copy and paste the result into your Steam profile or a comment.
Braille or characters?
| Mode | Looks like | On Steam |
|---|---|---|
| Braille dots | ⣿⣶⣤⡀ | Holds its shape in most places, because blank cells are Braille characters rather than spaces |
| ASCII characters | @%#*+=-:. |
Needs a fixed-width font: wrap in [code] where formatting works |
Choose Braille dots above, set the width to around 30 to 40, then raise the contrast until the subject stands out. Turn on Invert if the art will sit on Steam’s dark background as light dots; leave it off if you want the dark parts of your picture drawn as raised dots.
Putting it on your profile
- Make the art above and press Copy.
- On Steam, open your profile, choose Edit Profile and paste into the summary, or paste into a comment box.
- Save and look at the result on the profile itself, on both desktop and the Steam mobile app if you can. Fonts differ, so adjust the width if lines wrap.
Steam’s formatting help describes the [code] tag as a “fixed-width font, preserves spaces” (Steam Community formatting help), which is what classic ASCII art needs wherever that tag is accepted. For styled letters in your Steam name, see Steam fonts; for words in big letters, the ASCII art generator.
When the picture works, ASCII art Steam profiles can show is just text, so you can edit it, repaste it and fix the width if lines wrap.
Frequently asked questions
Basics
How do I make ASCII art for my Steam profile?
Choose an image, pick Braille dots under Characters, set the Width to around 30 to 40 and raise Contrast until the subject stands out. Press Copy, open Edit Profile on Steam and paste it into the summary. Then look at the result on the profile itself.
Which mode is better for Steam, Braille or ASCII characters?
Braille dots hold their shape in most places, because the blank cells are Braille characters rather than spaces. ASCII characters need a fixed-width font, so they work only where the [code] tag is accepted. For a profile summary or comment, start with Braille.
What does Invert do for Steam ASCII art?
Invert flips which parts of your picture are drawn heavy. Turn it on if the art will sit on Steam's dark background as light dots. Leave it off if you want the dark parts of the picture drawn as raised dots. Try both and check the preview.
What picture makes good Steam ASCII art?
One with a strong outline against a plain background, such as a logo, a silhouette or a pet on a plain floor. Busy photos with many mid-tones turn into noise. Crop tightly before converting, and raise Contrast if the result looks grey.
Where it works
Does Steam support code blocks?
Steam's formatting help lists a [code] tag described as "fixed-width font, preserves spaces". Wrap ASCII art made of letters in [code] and [/code] where formatting is available, such as reviews, guides and discussions. Not every text box supports formatting, so check the preview.
Can I put ASCII art in Steam comments?
Yes, paste it into the comment box like any text. Braille art is the safer choice, since comment boxes use a proportional font. Fonts differ between devices, so look at the posted comment and reduce the width if lines wrap.
Does ASCII art look the same on the Steam mobile app?
It may not. Steam does not document its fonts or column widths, and a phone screen is narrower than a desktop window, so lines can wrap differently. Check your profile on both desktop and mobile if you can, and lower the width if it breaks.
How it works
Why do people use Braille characters for Steam ASCII art?
Most Steam text, including profile summaries and comments, is shown in a proportional font where a space is narrower than a letter, so classic ASCII art made of letters and spaces falls apart. Braille Pattern characters are drawn the same width in many fonts, and the blank Braille cell (U+2800) is used instead of a space, so the picture holds together better. Results still vary by font and device.
What is the blank Braille character U+2800?
It is the empty cell of the Braille Patterns block, with no dots raised. Steam Braille art uses it where a space would go, because an ordinary space is narrower than a letter in proportional fonts and would pull the rows out of line.
How does Braille art show more detail than letters?
Each Braille character is a cell of dots, two wide and four tall, so it shows eight times as many pixels as an ordinary letter. The converter raises a dot where the picture is darker than the Threshold, and dithering turns grey areas into dot patterns.
Tips & limits
How wide should Steam ASCII art be?
There is no documented width. Profile summaries and comment boxes are narrower than a terminal, so art much wider than about 40 characters tends to wrap. Start around 30 to 40 characters in Braille mode and check the result on your profile.
Is there a character limit?
Steam does not document the limits for profile summaries and comments in its help pages, so we don't state a number. Each Braille character and each line break counts, so large pieces can be cut off; if the save fails or the art is cut, reduce the width.
Is my picture uploaded when I convert it for Steam?
No. The picture is drawn onto a canvas in your browser and converted there, so nothing is sent to our server. Only the text you paste into Steam leaves your device, and you control where it goes.
Related generators & guides
- Image to ASCII Art ConverterThis image to ASCII converter turns a picture into text art made of characters or Braille dots. Choose, drop or paste an image, set the width, then copy the result or save a .txt or PNG.
- Steam FontsThese Steam fonts turn your profile name into styled Unicode letters such as 𝕱𝖗𝖔𝖘𝖙. Tap Copy and paste it into Edit Profile; check the count under the limit, because bold and gothic letters use two units each.
- ASCII ArtASCII art is pictures and lettering made from keyboard characters. Copy a ready-made piece from the galleries, make your own from text or a photo, and learn how to keep it from breaking when you paste it into chats, bios and code blocks.
- ASCII Art GeneratorThis ASCII art generator turns your words into big letters made of keyboard characters, in 32 FIGlet fonts. Type a word, pick a font, then copy it plain or as a Discord code block.
- CS2 Name StyleThis CS2 name style generator turns your name into styled letters you can copy in one tap. Counter-Strike 2 shows your Steam profile name in matches, while weapon name tags are stricter, so test before you commit.
- ASCII TableThe ASCII table lists all 128 ASCII codes, numbered 0 to 127, with their decimal, hexadecimal, octal and binary values, character names and HTML codes. Tap a printable character to copy it, and read the control codes' escape sequences beside it.