Go board scanner for Android Take a photo of the board.Keep the position on your phone.
PhotoKifu reads a photo of a Go board and saves the position. You can open it in your Go app, ask an AI for the best move, or send it to a friend. It works offline, with no account.
It records where the stones are now. It does not record the moves of a whole game.
iPhone version planned
- Free
- Works offline
- No account
- 9×9 · 13×13 · 19×19
How it works
How it works
Open PhotoKifu and point the camera at the board until the outline appears. Take the photo and check the stones. Tap a point to fix it. Then save the position and open it in another Go app or share it.
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Frame the board
Point your camera at the board. The app finds the grid and outlines it, even at an angle.
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Capture
Take the photo. PhotoKifu straightens the board and finds the black and white stones. This happens on your phone.
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Review and fix
Compare the result with the photo. Tap a point to switch between empty, black and white. Choose who plays next.
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Save and share
The position is saved in your library. Share it as SGF or open it in another Go app.
After the photo
Use the position anywhere
PhotoKifu saves positions in the standard Go file format (SGF), so almost every Go app can open them.
- Open it in OGS, KaTrain, Sabaki or another Go app.
- Ask an AI for the best move.
- Send it to a friend or your teacher.
Privacy
Your photos stay on your phone
Recognition runs on your phone. The app does not ask for internet access, so it cannot upload anything. There is no account. You choose what to share.
On-device recognition
A small neural network runs on your phone. It also works in airplane mode.
No internet permission
PhotoKifu cannot send your photos anywhere. Files only leave the app when you tap Share.
No account, no tracking
No sign-up and no analytics.
Compatibility
Works with other Go apps
PhotoKifu exports standard SGF files, which most Go programs can open. On Android you can send a position to another app with Share.
- OGSonline-go.com
- Sabakidesktop SGF editor
- KaTrainKataGo-based trainer
- LizzieLeela Zero / KataGo GUI
- AI Senseionline analysis
- CGobanKGS client & editor
- GoGuiengine front-end
- q5GoSGF editor
And other programs that open SGF files.
Names belong to their owners. PhotoKifu is independent and not affiliated with these projects.
Looking at other apps? Compare PhotoKifu with Kifu Snap, Baduk Cap and others
At a glance
The facts
- Platform
- Android phones. iOS is planned.
- Price
- Free
- Board sizes
- 9×9, 13×13 and 19×19
- Recognition
- On your phone, works offline
- Output
- One position per photo, saved to a library
- Sharing
- Open in other Go apps or send to a friend
- Account
- None required
- Languages
- English, Français, 日本語, 한국어, 简体中文, 繁體中文
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert a photo of a Go board to SGF?
Install PhotoKifu, point the camera at the board until the outline appears, and take the photo. Check the stones, tap any point that is wrong, choose who plays next and save. In the library, tap Share to get an SGF file or open it in another Go app.
Can it record a whole game?
Not yet. Each photo gives one position: where the stones are, not the order they were played in. You can export the position as SGF and analyse it or play on from it in any Go program.
How much does PhotoKifu cost?
Price: Free. No account is needed.
Are my photos uploaded? Does it work offline?
Nothing is uploaded. Recognition runs on your phone and the app has no internet permission, so it works offline.
Which board sizes are supported?
9×9, 13×13 and 19×19.
Does it work for baduk and weiqi?
Yes. Go, baduk (바둑) and weiqi (围棋) are the same game on the same board.
Save your next game position
For Android. No account and no upload.
iPhone version planned