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Print Images in the Terminal With catimg

Render a JPEG or PNG as colored blocks inside the terminal.

macOSimagesmediaLow risk
Run catimg photo.jpg to print the image with ANSI color blocks.

01Command

Command
$ catimg photo.jpg

02What it does

catimg converts an image to half-block characters and colors, giving a compact color preview. Use -w 80 to set the width in columns, and -r to render at the image native resolution. It is fast enough for browsing a folder of thumbnails over SSH.

03Risk

RiskLow risk
Requirementsbrew install catimg
CompatibilitymacOS with Homebrew installed
!Warning: True color support varies by terminal; without it the preview falls back to fewer colors.

04Undo

✓No undo needed — this command does not change persistent state.

05Sources

  • Homebrew formula: catimg
    Homebrew · vendor-doc · 2026-09-20
    Evidence: Installs catimg, a fast image printer for terminals.
  • posva/catimg
    GitHub · vendor-doc · 2026-09-20
    Evidence: Documents catimg usage and -w width option.

Last verified: 2026-09-20 · Category: Media

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