Support
AsciiCam support
An iPhone camera that redraws what you point it at in ASCII characters, as you move. Stills, clips up to 15 seconds and GIFs. AsciiCam is free and needs no account or network.
What is AsciiCam
AsciiCam shows the camera already turned into characters: move the phone and the letters follow. The strip above the shutter shows your shot in each of the ten looks, from Terminal 80 (green on black, 80 columns) to Braille, with eight dots in every character.
Take a still and change its style afterwards without shooting again. In Video mode you record up to 15 seconds of the viewfinder and save it to Photos as a video or as a looping GIF. Any result can also be copied as text. Photos you already have convert inside the app, or from Photos with Share. It is free, there is no account and the app contains no network code.
How to reach me
Have a problem, a question or a suggestion? Write to support@simplebuild.it.
You can also call +39 389 314 8174.
Tell me your iPhone or iPad model, the iOS version and what you were doing: it helps to understand the problem.
Privacy
What data AsciiCam uses and where it stays: app privacy policy.
Frequently asked questions
I denied camera access. How do I turn it back on?
On the "Camera access needed" screen, tap "Open Settings" and turn on "Camera". You can also get there yourself: Settings > Apps > AsciiCam on iOS 18 and later, Settings > AsciiCam on iOS 17. When you come back to the app, the viewfinder starts again. Meanwhile, "Import a photo" converts a picture from your library.
Saving to Photos fails. What can I do?
If you see "AsciiCam can't add to Photos yet", the permission was denied. Go to Settings > Apps > AsciiCam > Photos (on iOS 17: Settings > AsciiCam > Photos) and choose "Add Photos Only": full library access is not needed. Meanwhile you can tap "Share" and pick "Save to Files".
How do I record a clip, and where is the GIF?
Switch from "Photo" to "Video" and tap the shutter. Recording stops by itself after 15 seconds, or earlier if you tap again. Then the clip opens and plays on a loop: "Save video" puts it in Photos as a video, and the "GIF" button lets you choose between "Save GIF to Photos" and "Share GIF".
Why don't clips have sound?
That is deliberate: AsciiCam records only what the viewfinder shows and does not use the microphone.
How do I save the result as text?
After a still, below "Save" there are three icon buttons. The one with two sheets of paper copies the text: paste it into a message, a note or a code editor. The one with the lined sheet makes a .txt file to send or save to Files. The drawing only lines up in a monospaced font. With the "Half block" look the text comes out in ANSI colors, which show up in a terminal.
AsciiCam isn't in the share sheet in Photos
In the row of apps on the share sheet, scroll to the end and tap "More": AsciiCam is there, and with "Edit" you can add it to your favorites so it shows up first. The extension converts one photo at a time: with more than one selected, or a video, AsciiCam does not appear.
Can I change the style after taking a still?
Yes, for stills. Below the picture there is a row of character sets, and the button with the sliders opens the full "Style" panel: density from 40 to 220 columns, color (Mono, Green, Color), inverted brightness, and rendering as Characters, Braille or Blocks. The framing stays as you shot it. Clips do not change: they keep the style they were recorded with.
A face turns into a blob. What should I change?
Raise the density in the "Style" panel. With few columns a face becomes a silhouette; eyes and mouth appear as the columns go up.
Which devices does it work on?
iPhone only, with iOS 17 or later, in portrait. The app is in 15 languages, English and Italian among them, and follows your iPhone's language.
Do I need internet, an account or a purchase?
No. AsciiCam works offline, does not ask you to sign up and is free, with no in-app purchases and no ads.
How do I report a problem?
Email support@simplebuild.it or call +39 389 314 8174. Tell me your iPhone model, the iOS version and what you were doing (a still, a clip, a GIF, sharing from Photos…): a screenshot speeds things up.
© 2026 Simplebuild.it Angelo Sasso