Convert TavernAI to CharacterAI | Upload Local Cards to the Cloud

How to Convert TavernAI to CharacterAI

Bring your finely-tuned local characters back to the cloud. This tool reformats V2 PNG metadata into the specific schema required for CharacterAI's Advanced Definition fields.

The "Round-Trip" Problem

Most conversion tools only go one way: out of CharacterAI. But what if you've spent weeks refining a character in SillyTavern or TavernAI and want to share it with the massive CAI community? CharacterAI doesn't accept PNG cards directly. You need to extract the metadata and format it into a single, cohesive definition block that CAI's proprietary model can understand.

1. Upload your TavernAI/SillyTavern PNG

Formatted Definition Output

Technical Hurdles: Schema Differences

When moving from a local V2 card to CharacterAI, you aren't just moving text; you're translating logic. Here are the primary quirks handled by this converter:

1. The Definition Compression

In TavernAI, personality, description, and scenario are separate fields. CharacterAI's "Advanced Definition" is one large 32,000-character block. Each field it recognizes in the TavernAI data is copied to the matching CharacterAI field, with your wording left untouched.

2. Variable Preservation

TavernAI uses {{char}} and {{user}}. CharacterAI uses the same syntax, but it's much stricter about how they are initialized in the greeting. Text is copied across as written (see "What this converter changes" below), so review the result in CharacterAI and adjust any wording or formatting you want to change.

3. Metadata Key Extraction

We scan your PNG for multiple keys, including chara, chara_card_v2, and sillytavern_json, ensuring that even if your card was created with experimental SillyTavern extensions, the data is captured.

Troubleshooting Common Errors

"Card is empty": Ensure you are using the original PNG. Social media sites like Discord often strip the tEXt chunks we need.
"JSON Parse Error": If your card uses zTXt compression, our Web Decompression API handles it automatically, but older browsers may struggle. Use a modern version of Chrome or Edge.
Indentation Issues: If you paste YAML, our TinyLib parser preserves the multi-line personas that CharacterAI requires for structured roleplay.

FAQ: TavernAI to CharacterAI

Q: Does this transfer my chat history?

A: No. This tool is strictly for "Character Definitions"—the soul of the character. Chat logs are stored differently on each platform and cannot be moved via PNG cards.

Q: Why does my character sound different on CAI?

A: CharacterAI uses a proprietary model that is different from the local models (like Llama or Mistral) you use in SillyTavern. While the *data* is the same, the *brain* interpreting it is different.