8-Bit Text Generator

Type your name and turn it into chunky 8-bit pixel text, the way it would have looked on a title screen or a high-score table. Pick a retro palette, choose the colours, then save it as a PNG. It all happens in your browser, and the names you make are kept in a history on this device only.

Your name, a gamer tag or any short text

It's built with names in mind, but it works for any short text: gamer tags, titles, team names or a "GAME OVER" for a party sign. Think of it as a pixel text generator with the palettes of real 8-bit machines. Anything up to 32 characters made of letters, numbers and common punctuation will work.

How it works

Every letter is a tiny grid of pixels, five wide and seven tall, the same size many 8-bit machines used for their text. I drew each one by hand, so an A is literally a list of which squares are lit. The generator looks up each letter of your name, places them side by side with a one-pixel gap, then paints every lit square as a solid block at the pixel size you choose.

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There is no AI involved, and nothing to wait for. It is plain logic, which means it is instant, works offline once the page has loaded, and gives you exactly the same result every time. Lowercase letters become capitals, and accents are dropped so names like Zoë and Sinéad still render. If you type a character the font doesn't have yet, it is skipped and the page tells you which one.

Choosing colours

Each palette is the same set of colours used by the photo converter, and the colour buttons only offer colours from the palette you picked. That limit is the point: it's what makes the result look like it came from the real hardware. Switching palette starts you on a combination that suits it, such as yellow on blue for the ZX Spectrum or light blue on dark blue for the Commodore 64.

• Letters sets the main colour of the text.
• Shadow adds a one-pixel drop shadow down and to the right, a classic arcade trick for making text readable on busy backgrounds. Choose None to remove it.
• Background fills the image. Choose Clear for a transparent PNG you can drop onto a photo, a stream overlay or a website.

Not sure where to start? The palette comparison guide explains the character of each one, and the palette reference pages list every colour.

Your history

Names are added to your history when you pause typing, press Enter or download a PNG. Each one keeps its palette, colours, layout and pixel size, so you can tap it to pick up where you left off. The latest 20 are kept. History is stored in your browser's local storage on this device, is never sent to us, and can be removed one at a time or all at once with Clear history.

Ideas for your 8-bit name

• A gamer tag or profile banner. Try a bigger pixel size with a transparent background.
• A title card for a matching 8-bit avatar.
• Labels for a retro-themed party, a classroom display or a child's bedroom door.
• Text for a game jam project. The pixel art for game development guide covers scaling it cleanly.

For crisp results, keep the pixel size a whole number and avoid resizing the PNG with smoothing turned on. If you need it larger, export at a bigger pixel size instead.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 8-bit text generator free?

Yes. No sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many names you make.

Is my name sent anywhere?

No. The lettering is drawn by JavaScript in your browser. Your name is not put in the page address, sent to our analytics or advertising services, or uploaded to a server.

Can I use the images commercially?

Yes. The font was made for this site, and whatever you create with it is yours to use.