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.
What opens 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.
Windows
- IrfanView
- XnView MP
- GIMP
macOS
- GIMP
- XnView MP
Linux
- GIMP
- ImageMagick
Open a .pcx file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .pcx. Drop it into the WhatFileType identifier, which reads its signature in your browser without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with IrfanView or XnView MP.
- On Mac, use GIMP or XnView MP.
- On Linux, try GIMP or ImageMagick.
- Still stuck? Convert the .pcx to png, which opens more widely.
Why can't I open my .pcx file?
Almost always because no installed app understands PCX. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads. If double-clicking opens the wrong program instead of nothing at all, the file association is set to the wrong app rather than the file being broken.
The other possibility is that the file is not really a .pcx at all. Drop it into the file identifier to check it by its bytes instead of its name. Nothing is uploaded.
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.
What is the .pcx file signature (magic bytes)?
A .pcx file starts with the hex bytes 0A. Programs identify PCX by those bytes, not by the filename, so a renamed file still gives itself away.
These are the documented signatures for PCX. For a full breakdown, see the PCX file signature page.
| Hex signature | Offset | ASCII | 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
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