Free chess vision for screenshots and 2D board images
ChessboardScan.com is a free chess OCR tool that reads a 2D chessboard from a screenshot or photo and turns it into a FEN position. Paste a Lichess or Chess.com screenshot, choose an image from your library, or take a photo of a board on paper. The scanner recognizes the pieces, and you can fix any square with the editor before opening the position in Lichess.
How to scan a chessboard image
- Paste or upload a screenshot, photo, or 2D board image.
- Check the detected pieces and correct them with the piece and Remove tools.
- Set the side to move, castling rights, and en passant if needed.
- Press Copy FEN or Open in Lichess to use the position.
Looking for a free Chessvision.ai alternative?
ChessboardScan covers the image-to-FEN part of that workflow: paste or upload a 2D board image, review and edit the detected pieces, then open the position in Lichess. It is free to use without an account. Chessvision.ai also offers browser extensions, an eBook reader and video features; ChessboardScan does not currently offer those tools. For the best result here, use a clear image with the entire 2D board visible. A single image cannot reliably tell the scanner whose turn it is or what castling and en passant rights remain, so check those settings before analysis.
See the feature comparison and image-to-FEN walkthrough.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I convert a chess screenshot to FEN?
- Open ChessboardScan.com, paste or upload a screenshot of a 2D chessboard, check the detected position, then press Copy FEN or open it directly in Lichess.
- Does ChessboardScan work with Lichess and Chess.com screenshots?
- ChessboardScan is designed for clear 2D chessboard screenshots, including Lichess and Chess.com boards, when the entire board is visible. Review and correct the detected pieces before using the position.
- Is ChessboardScan free to use?
- Yes. ChessboardScan.com is free, works in the browser, and requires no account.
- What image formats are supported?
- PNG, JPEG and WebP images up to 15 MB. Other formats may need conversion before uploading.
- Are my chessboard images stored?
- Images are sent to the OCR service to detect the position. The application code does not save uploaded images.
- Is ChessboardScan a free alternative to Chessvision.ai?
- Yes, for converting a 2D board screenshot or image into an editable FEN position and opening it in Lichess. ChessboardScan does not include a browser extension, eBook reader or video tools.