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XPM to GRAY Converter

FreeNo uploadNo watermarkBatch support
XPM GRAY
100% private — files never leave your device

X11 Pixmap and Raw Grayscale Image exist for different jobs: XPM (X11 Pixmap) is an image written as C source code — plain ASCII text that compilers and editors ingest directly, the classic icon format of Linux desktops and legacy X11 apps. Convert GRAY dumps exactly like GRAYA — to PNG or JPG with width hints.

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 XPM to GRAY

  1. 1

    Select your files

    Drag & drop your XPM files onto the area above, or click to browse. You can add multiple files at once for batch conversion.

  2. 2

    Convert instantly

    Click "Convert to GRAY". The conversion runs entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly — no upload, no queue, no waiting.

  3. 3

    Download results

    Download each converted GRAY file individually, or grab everything at once as a ZIP archive.

About the XPM format

XPM (X11 Pixmap) is an image format that is literally C source code: pixels are listed as character-to-color mappings inside an ASCII array. Compilers, text editors and version control all treat it as plain text, which is why Linux desktop icons and legacy X11 application assets have used it for decades.

XPM is limited to 256 colors per image and stores no alpha beyond a designated transparent character, so it is a niche target: mainly icon themes, window-manager decorations and retro programming projects.

+Strengths

  • ✓Plain text — diffs and greps
  • ✓Compiles straight into C programs
  • ✓Tiny for small flat icons

!Limitations

  • −256 colors maximum
  • −Poor alpha (one transparent color)

About the GRAY format

The Grayscale + Alpha (raw) coder of the ImageMagick set — the raw-pixels format is written natively by the magick.wasm engine, entirely in your browser.

Obscure coder formats like this are exactly what template-driven converters list and never actually convert — here it really works.

+Strengths

  • ✓Written natively by ImageMagick
  • ✓Runs entirely in your browser
  • ✓Free, private, no watermarks

!Limitations

  • −Niche format — few modern readers
  • −Feature subset varies by coder
  • −Keep the original for re-editing

Why convert XPM to GRAY?

Think of it as moving your file to the container that fits the job. 256 colors maximum GRAY works differently: Written natively by ImageMagick If any of that sounds like your task, run the conversion — it takes seconds and nothing leaves your device.

Frequently asked questions

Is this XPM to GRAY 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 XPM to GRAY?

No — GRAY is a lossless format, so every pixel of the converted image matches your original XPM file. You can also adjust the quality/size balance before converting when the target format supports compression.

Will transparent areas survive the conversion to GRAY?

Transparency is kept whenever GRAY 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 XPM files matters (camera model, GPS, timestamps), keep the original file as the master and treat the converted copy as the shareable version.

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