PCX to XBM Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
ZSoft Paintbrush PCX and X BitMap exist for different jobs: PCX was THE DOS-era image format: ZSoft Paintbrush's RLE-compressed raster that every 1990s game, scanner and clipart CD shipped in. Simple enough that its spec fits on one page. Convert XBM icons to PNG for viewing, or emit XBM when embedded firmware/Unix code needs a compiled-in bitmap.
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 PCX compares to XBM
| PCX | XBM | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 128B header + RLE rows + 769B palette | C #defines + hex byte array |
| Types / schema | 1/4/8-bit paletted, 24-bit RGB | 1-bit, X11 bit order |
| Compatibility | DOS era, GIMP, ImageMagick | X11, C compilers, GTK |
| Best for | Retro game and clipart archives | Compiled-in cursors and icons |
How to convert PCX to XBM
- 1
Select your files
Drag & drop your PCX 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 XBM". The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly — no upload, no queue, no waiting.
- 3
Download results
Download each converted XBM file individually, or grab everything at once as a ZIP archive.
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
About the XBM format
XBM is the most honest image format ever shipped: the "file" is a C source array of hex bytes, compiled straight into X11 applications as cursor and icon bitmaps. Rendered, it is 1-bit black and white — the ancestors of every pixel-art cursor you still use.
Because it compiles, XBM never died: firmware UIs, embedded icons and retro Unix tooling still want it. Converting a PNG down to XBM gives embeddable, compilable art; the other direction previews what the C array actually draws.
+ Strengths
- ✓Compiles directly into C/C++ programs
- ✓Zero-payload format — text only
- ✓Still required by embedded and Unix tooling
! Limitations
- −1-bit black & white only
- −Human-hostile representation
- −X11 bit order trips up hand-rolled decoders
Why convert PCX to XBM?
Converting makes sense where the strengths of XBM meet what PCX cannot give you. Compiles directly into C/C++ programs Meanwhile Effectively dead since Windows 95 One pass through the converter above puts your file on the right side of that trade-off.
Frequently asked questions
Is this PCX to XBM 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 PCX to XBM?
No — XBM is a lossless format, so every pixel of the converted image matches your original PCX file. You can also adjust the quality/size balance before converting when the target format supports compression.
Will transparent areas survive the conversion to XBM?
Transparency is kept whenever XBM actually supports an alpha channel. If the target format has none (like JPG), transparent areas are flattened onto a white background — that is a property of the format, not of this tool.
Can I convert several PCX 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.