What is a .pcx file?
PC Paintbrush Image · Image · ZSoft · 1985
PCX is one of the oldest PC image formats, from the DOS-era PC Paintbrush program. It uses simple run-length compression and is now largely historical, though some tools still export it.
What is a .pcx file used for?
A .pcx file starts with the byte 0x0A (the ZSoft marker) followed by a version number. Its run-length encoding was fast on 1980s hardware but is inefficient for photographs.
You will meet PCX mostly in legacy software and old clip-art libraries. Modern image editors open it, and converting to PNG is the usual step for anything current.
How to open a .pcx file
The .pcx format opens in the following apps, grouped by operating system. If one app does not work, try another from the same list. For a step-by-step walkthrough, see how to open a .pcx file.
Windows
- IrfanView
- XnView MP
- GIMP
macOS
- GIMP
- XnView MP
Linux
- GIMP
- ImageMagick
How to convert a .pcx file
You can convert a .pcx file to png, bmp, jpg using a conversion tool or the export menu of an app that opens it.
.pcx file signature (magic bytes)
Programs recognise a .pcx file by the bytes at the start of the file, not by its name. These are the signatures for PCX. For a full breakdown, see the PCX file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 0A | 0 | ZSoft marker, then a version byte |
See the full magic-numbers reference for every format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .pcx file?
PCX is one of the oldest PC image formats, from the DOS-era PC Paintbrush program. It uses simple run-length compression and is now largely historical, though some tools still export it.
How do I open a PCX file?
Use IrfanView, XnView MP or GIMP, all of which open PCX and can save it as PNG or JPG.
Is PCX still used?
Rarely. It survives in legacy software and old clip-art collections; new work uses PNG or JPEG instead.
How do I convert PCX to PNG?
Open it in IrfanView or GIMP and export as PNG, or use ImageMagick: convert image.pcx image.png.
Related formats
Sources
Details on this page were checked against authoritative references: