Chafa Tool is a terminal-based image viewer that lets you display images inside the terminal. It can convert images into colorful text, ASCII art, and Unicode characters without opening a separate image viewer. You can install and use Chafa in Termux with a few simple commands.
Here’s what you can do with Chafa in Termux:
- Display images inside the terminal.
- Convert images into ASCII art.
- View colorful Unicode graphics.
- Resize images for terminal display.
- Create image slideshows.
- Customize image output styles.
Install Chafa Tool in Termux
Below are the simple commands to install Chafa in Termux. Copy and run each command one by one to install the tool.
Update Termux packages.
pkg update && pkg upgrade -yInstall Chafa.
pkg install chafa -yAllow Termux to access your internal storage.
termux-setup-storageCheck the installed version.
chafa --versionChafa is now installed and ready to use.
Chafa Tool Usage Commands
After installing Chafa, you can use the commands below to display images in the Termux terminal. First, move to your phone’s internal storage and open the folder where your image files are saved.
Open the internal storage.
cd /sdcardMove to a folder that contains your image files.
cd PicturesYou can also replace Pictures with folders such as Download, DCIM, or any other folder that contains your images.
Check available files on the folder.
lsDisplay an image in the terminal.
chafa image.jpgReplace the image file name with your actual file name, for example (IMG20260524151437.jpg)
Show the help menu.
chafa --helpDisplay an image using ASCII characters.
chafa --symbols ascii image.jpgDisplay an image using Unicode block characters.
chafa --symbols block image.jpgDisplay an image using Braille characters.
chafa --symbols braille image.jpgResize the image output.
chafa --size=80x40 image.jpgFit the image to the terminal width.
chafa --fit-width image.jpgDisplay the image in full color.
chafa --colors full image.jpgDisplay the image using 256 colors.
chafa --colors 256 image.jpgSet a black background.
chafa --bg black image.jpgInvert the foreground and background colors.
chafa --invert image.jpgDisplay multiple images in a grid.
chafa -g *.jpgShow image filenames below each image.
chafa -l *.jpgCreate a slideshow that displays each image for 5 seconds.
chafa --clear -d 5 *.jpgYou can use these commands to display images in different styles, resize the output, change colors, or create a slideshow inside the Termux terminal.
End Note
Chafa is a useful terminal tool for displaying images in a unique way from the command line. With a few simple commands, you can view images, experiment with different output styles, and enjoy terminal graphics on your Android device using Termux.