What the converter reads
The board image is only the first draft
A FEN records the location of every piece, whose turn it is, castling rights, a possible en passant target and move counters. Most screenshots clearly show only the pieces. Chessdesk can sometimes infer the turn from a highlighted last move, but you should confirm every field before asking an engine to analyze the position.
1. Crop to the board
Use a clear, straight-on screenshot with the whole 8×8 board visible.
2. Check every square
Compare the recognized board with the image. Move, replace or erase any incorrect piece.
3. Confirm the game state
Set the side to move and only keep castling or en passant rights you know are valid.
4. Copy the FEN
Paste the final string into a chess engine, analysis board or Study.
Privacy
How the screenshot is processed
When you choose, paste or drop a screenshot, the image is sent to the Chessdesk board-recognition service. It is used to return the detected position and is not retained. Chessdesk does not claim the conversion stays entirely in your browser. Read the full details in the privacy policy.
FAQ
Screenshot to FEN questions
How do I convert a chess screenshot to FEN?
Paste, drop or upload a clear screenshot containing a 2D chessboard. Chessdesk recognizes the pieces and creates a FEN. Compare the result with the screenshot, correct any pieces or game-state fields, then copy the FEN.
Can I paste a screenshot from my clipboard?
Yes. Focus the upload box and press Ctrl+V on Windows or Cmd+V on macOS. You can also drop an image or choose a PNG, JPEG or WebP file up to 5 MB.
Does a screenshot contain the side to move?
Not always. Some boards show a highlighted last move that can reveal the turn, but a still image may contain only the pieces. Chessdesk defaults to White when it cannot infer the turn, so confirm White or Black to move before using the FEN.
Why should I check the recognized position?
Board recognition can misread a piece, orientation or game-state detail. FEN also includes the side to move, castling rights and en passant square, which may not be visible in an image. The editor lets you correct those details.
Is my chess screenshot stored?
No. The image is sent to the Chessdesk board-recognition service, processed to return the detected position and not retained. The resulting FEN remains available on the page so you can edit and copy it.
What can I do with the FEN?
Copy it into the Chessdesk next-move finder to get Stockfish's best move, open it on the analysis board to explore legal variations, or use it as the starting position for a Study.
Put the position to work
Use the copied FEN to find the best move, explore legal variations, or create a durable Study for a student or lesson.