FEN to Image

How to turn a FEN into an image

1. 1

   Paste the FEN into the box. Only the first field, the piece placement, is used for the picture.

2. 2

   Choose a size, a board colour and which side is at the bottom.

3. 3

   Download the PNG, or take the SVG if the diagram will be printed or resized.

4. 4

   Need to change the position first? Open it in the board editor, drag the pieces and come back.

Frequently asked questions

What is a FEN?

FEN (Forsyth-Edwards Notation) is a single line of text that describes one chess position: where the pieces stand, whose turn it is, the castling rights, the en passant square, and the two move counters. It is how a single position travels between programs, the way PGN carries a whole game.

Should I download the PNG or the SVG?

PNG if it is going into a post, a chat or a document that wants a picture. SVG if it will be printed, projected, or scaled up later, because a vector stays sharp at any size.

Is the image uploaded or watermarked?

Neither. The board is drawn in your browser and the file is written on your device. There is no watermark and no attribution requirement.

Can I use these diagrams in a book or a course?

Yes. The pieces are drawn from our own vector set and the images carry no restrictions, so they can go into lessons, articles and printed material.

How do I get a FEN from a photo of a board?

Photograph the position and let the ScanChess board reader work it out. It returns the FEN, which you can paste straight in here to make a clean diagram.