PCX to XZ Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
ZSoft Paintbrush PCX and XZ Compressed File 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. Unpack XZ into ZIP/TAR for tools that cannot read LZMA2.
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 PCX to XZ
- 1
Select your files
Select your PCX file.
- 2
Convert instantly
The file bytes are gzip-compressed in place — the same archive your server or build tool produces, made locally.
- 3
Download results
Download the .gz file — ready to upload, serve or attach.
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 XZ format
XZ wraps the LZMA2 algorithm: the best ratio of the common Unix compressors, which is why distribution packages and source releases pick it when bandwidth matters more than CPU.
Windows Explorer and many cross-platform tools cannot open it — unpacking to ZIP or TAR makes the payload portable.
+Strengths
- ✓Highest common ratio
- ✓Standard for Linux packages
- ✓Integrity checks built in
!Limitations
- −Memory-hungry at high settings
- −Sparse support outside Linux
Why convert PCX to XZ?
Think of it as moving your file to the container that fits the job. Effectively dead since Windows 95 XZ works differently: Highest common ratio If any of that sounds like your task, run the conversion — it takes seconds and nothing leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
Is this PCX to XZ 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 XZ?
No — XZ 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.
Is there a size limit for archive conversion?
There is no upload cap because nothing is uploaded — the practical limit is your device memory. A few hundred megabytes of unpacked content works comfortably on a modern computer.
Are the files inside my PCX archive modified?
No. Contents are unpacked in memory and repacked into XZ byte-for-byte — the conversion changes the container, never the files inside it.