JPG to PCX Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
Convert PCX files from retro games and clipart archives into PNG or JPG. If your files are still in JPG format, this page is the shortcut: JPG (JPEG) is the most widely used photo format on the web. It compresses images with a small, usually invisible loss of quality, keeping files quick to load and easy to share.
This converter runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly — your files never leave your device, nothing is uploaded, and there are no watermarks, sign-ups or queues. Drop in several files at once to convert them as a batch.
How to convert JPG to PCX
- 1
Select your files
Drag & drop your JPG files onto the area above, or click to browse. You can add multiple files at once for batch conversion.
- 2
Convert instantly
Click "Convert to PCX". The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly — no upload, no queue, no waiting.
- 3
Download results
Download each converted PCX file individually, or grab everything at once as a ZIP archive.
About the JPG format
JPG (short for JPEG, the Joint Photographic Experts Group committee that standardized it in 1992) has been the default photo format for over three decades. It compresses photographs using the discrete cosine transform: the image is split into 8×8 blocks, and details the human eye is bad at noticing are discarded. The result is files many times smaller than uncompressed data, at a quality level you control when saving.
In practice JPG is unbeatable for photographs and smooth gradients — camera memory cards, messaging apps and the web all assume it. It is a poor fit for screenshots, logos or anything with sharp edges and flat color, where compression leaves visible ringing around text. There is no transparency support, color depth is capped at 8 bits per channel, and every re-save with compression compounds tiny generational losses.
+Strengths
- ✓Opens on literally every device, app and browser made in the last 30 years
- ✓Compresses photos dramatically — typically 10:1 or better with little visible loss
- ✓Quality level is adjustable, so you can trade fidelity for file size
- ✓Mature ecosystem: EXIF metadata, ICC profiles and progressive loading all supported
!Limitations
- −Lossy — artifacts appear on text, sharp edges and flat areas
- −No transparency, so overlays and logos need PNG or WebP instead
- −Repeated re-saving at low quality permanently degrades the image
About the PCX format
PCX was the image format of the DOS decade: ZSoft Paintbrush's run-length-encoded raster that every scanner, game and clipart CD adopted because it was published, simple and fast on 286 hardware. The header is a fixed 128 bytes, the palette hides in the final 769, and the whole file can be decoded by one while-loop.
Retro gaming archives and 90s clipart collections are full of PCX files. Converting them to PNG or JPG finally makes them viewable — the pixels were always fine, the container was just ancient.
+Strengths
- ✓Decoded by a single RLE loop — no dependencies
- ✓Ubiquitous in DOS-era archives
- ✓Supports paletted and 24-bit variants
!Limitations
- −Effectively dead since Windows 95
- −Rows padded — some files have alignment quirks
- −256-color ceiling for most real-world files
Why convert JPG to PCX?
Think of it as moving your file to the container that fits the job. Lossy — artifacts appear on text, sharp edges and flat areas PCX works differently: Decoded by a single RLE loop — no dependencies If any of that sounds like your task, run the conversion — it takes seconds and nothing leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is this JPG to PCX converter really free?
Yes — completely free, with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily conversion limits. The site is supported by advertising.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly, so your files never leave your device — that is what makes it instant and private.
Does it work on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android?
Yes. Anything with a modern browser works: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. No software installation is required.
Will I lose quality converting JPG to PCX?
No — PCX is a lossless format, so every pixel of the converted image matches your original JPG file. You can also adjust the quality/size balance before converting when the target format supports compression.
What happens to EXIF data and other metadata?
Conversions here re-encode the image, and re-encoding generally does not carry the original metadata over. If the EXIF data of your JPG files matters (camera model, GPS, timestamps), keep the original file as the master and treat the converted copy as the shareable version.
Can I convert several JPG files at once?
Yes — drop as many files as you like into the tool and they are converted in one batch. When more than one file comes out, everything is bundled into a ZIP for a single download.