PBM to CUR Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
PBM is the 1-bit member of the netpbm family: pure black and white, stored as readable ASCII or packed bits. It is the simplest image format that still counts as one — which is why half a century of tools can read it. Converting CUR to PNG lets you view and reuse cursor graphics in design tools.
Because the whole conversion happens on your device, it is instant, unlimited and genuinely private — no accounts, no watermarks, no files on anyone's server. Multiple files are converted in one go.
How to convert PBM to CUR
- 1
Select your files
Drag & drop your PBM 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 CUR". The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly — no upload, no queue, no waiting.
- 3
Download results
Download each converted CUR file individually, or grab everything at once as a ZIP archive.
About the PBM format
PBM is the 1-bit extreme of the netpbm family: every pixel is a single bit, black or white, stored as ASCII digits or packed bytes. Born as part of Jef Poskanzer's Pbmplus toolkit in 1988, it remains the zero-ambition format of choice for fax pipelines, print queues and anything that must never break.
There is nothing inside a PBM to lose: converting to PNG or JPG is a pure expansion, and converting black-and-white art back down to PBM is the standard way to feed old print systems.
+ Strengths
- ✓Trivially parseable — the entire spec fits in a paragraph
- ✓Perfect for 1-bit print and fax pipelines
- ✓Zero patents, zero compression surprises
! Limitations
- −Black and white only — no gray, no color
- −ASCII variant is enormous
- −No alpha channel
About the CUR format
CUR is the Windows cursor file: structurally identical to ICO (several small bitmap sizes bundled), with the addition of a hotspot coordinate that marks which pixel is the pointer's tip. Windows ships most of its system cursors as CUR files.
Designers customizing cursors or extracting UI assets meet CUR files that no modern image tool opens. Converting to PNG (the largest embedded size) makes them editable, viewable and reusable in web apps that implement custom cursors.
+ Strengths
- ✓Windows cursor standard
- ✓Multiple sizes in one file
- ✓Hotspot data travels with the image
! Limitations
- −Tiny sizes only (usually ≤48px)
- −Meaningless outside cursor use
Why convert PBM to CUR?
Think of it as moving your file to the container that fits the job. Black and white only — no gray, no color CUR works differently: Windows cursor standard If any of that sounds like your task, run the conversion — it takes seconds and nothing leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is this PBM to CUR 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 PBM to CUR?
No — CUR is a lossless format, so every pixel of the converted image matches your original PBM 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 PBM 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 PBM 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.