XBM to MAT Converter
Processing entirely on your device — large files may take a moment.
X BitMap and MATLAB Image exist for different jobs: XBM is a bitmap stored as C source code — literally an array of hex bytes that a C compiler includes. It was the original X11 icon format, and it still compiles. Convert MAT image arrays to PNG for reports and previews.
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 XBM to MAT
- 1
Select your files
Drag & drop your XBM 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 MAT". The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly — no upload, no queue, no waiting.
- 3
Download results
Download each converted MAT file individually, or grab everything at once as a ZIP archive.
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
About the MAT format
MAT is the workspace format of MATLAB and its open-source sibling Octave. Image data shows up inside MAT files as numeric arrays — simulation frames, sensor captures, processed microscopy — usually alongside the variables and metadata a research script produced with them.
Converting the image arrays inside a MAT file to PNG makes them viewable and shareable without MATLAB — useful for reports, papers and collaborations where colleagues do not have a MATLAB license.
+Strengths
- ✓Carries numeric precision end to end
- ✓Pairs image data with research variables
- ✓Octave compatibility (open tooling)
!Limitations
- −Requires MATLAB/Octave to open
- −Not an image container by design
Why convert XBM to MAT?
Converting makes sense where the strengths of MAT meet what XBM cannot give you. Carries numeric precision end to end Meanwhile 1-bit black & white only One pass through the converter above puts your file on the right side of that trade-off.
Frequently asked questions
Is this XBM to MAT 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 XBM to MAT?
No — MAT is a lossless format, so every pixel of the converted image matches your original XBM file. You can also adjust the quality/size balance before converting when the target format supports compression.
Will transparent areas survive the conversion to MAT?
Transparency is kept whenever MAT 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.
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 XBM files matters (camera model, GPS, timestamps), keep the original file as the master and treat the converted copy as the shareable version.