PGN (Portable Game Notation) is the standard plain-text format for recording chess games. It contains a header with tags such as Event, White, Black and Result, followed by the moves in algebraic notation. Chess.com, Lichess and every chess database can import and export PGN.

Is my PGN uploaded to a server?

No. The viewer parses and replays the game entirely in your browser. Nothing you paste or open here leaves your device.

Can I view a PGN with several games?

Yes. When the file contains more than one game a selector appears above the board so you can switch between them.

What if the PGN has an illegal move?

The viewer replays every legal move up to the problem and highlights the move it could not play. Use the PGN validator to see the legal alternatives and produce a cleaned file.

How do I get a PGN from a paper scoresheet?

Photograph the scoresheet and run it through ScanChess. The AI reads the handwriting, validates the moves and gives you a downloadable PGN you can open in this viewer.

How is this different from viewing a PGN on Lichess or Chess.com?

Both sites show a game once it is imported into an account or a study. This viewer needs no account and no import, keeps the game on your device, and gives you an embed code to show the game on your own website.

Online PGN Viewer

Free tool · No account needed

Paste a PGN, replay the game move by move, copy any position as FEN. Runs in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.

Is the game on a paper scoresheet? Scan it into PGN instead of typing it.

Scan an image Try the free example

Paste a PGN (Portable Game Notation) file or open a .pgn to step through the game on an interactive board. Every position can be copied as FEN, opened in the board editor, or shared with a link. Everything runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded. New to the format? See what is PGN for tags, movetext, and how .pgn files open.

What this tool does

Multi-game files

Load a tournament file with dozens of games and switch between them from a list.

Tap or keyboard navigation

Tap any move to jump to it. On a desktop, ← → step through the game and Home/End jump to the start or the final position.

Position tools

Copy the FEN of any position, open it in the board editor, or analyze it on Lichess in one click.

Forgiving parser

Comments, variations, NAGs and even scoresheet shorthand like 0-0 or dc are understood. Illegal moves are flagged, not silently dropped.

How to use the PGN viewer

1
Paste PGN text into the box, or use Choose file to pick a .pgn — on a desktop you can also drag one onto the box.
2
Tap Load. The board shows the starting position, with the move list beside it on a wide screen and below it on a phone.
3
Tap any move to jump to that position; on a desktop the arrow keys work too.
4
Use Copy FEN, Open in editor or Share to take the position elsewhere.

Frequently asked questions

What is a PGN file?: PGN (Portable Game Notation) is the standard plain-text format for recording chess games. It contains a header with tags such as Event, White, Black and Result, followed by the moves in algebraic notation. Chess.com, Lichess and every chess database can import and export PGN.
Is my PGN uploaded to a server?: No. The viewer parses and replays the game entirely in your browser. Nothing you paste or open here leaves your device.
Can I view a PGN with several games?: Yes. When the file contains more than one game a selector appears above the board so you can switch between them.
What if the PGN has an illegal move?: The viewer replays every legal move up to the problem and highlights the move it could not play. Use the PGN validator to see the legal alternatives and produce a cleaned file.
How do I get a PGN from a paper scoresheet?: Photograph the scoresheet and run it through ScanChess. The AI reads the handwriting, validates the moves and gives you a downloadable PGN you can open in this viewer.
How is this different from viewing a PGN on Lichess or Chess.com?: Both sites show a game once it is imported into an account or a study. This viewer needs no account and no import, keeps the game on your device, and gives you an embed code to show the game on your own website.

Have a handwritten scoresheet instead?

ScanChess turns a photo of your scoresheet into a validated PGN in seconds. New accounts get free credits — no card required.

Scan a scoresheet

Guides for this tool

More free tools

All tools