PCX file signature
Magic number at the start of the file
A PCX image starts with the single ZSoft marker byte 0x0A, immediately followed by a version byte (0, 2, 3 or 5) and the encoding field.
What this magic number means
A magic number is a short, fixed run of bytes at a known position that tells a program what a file really is, no matter what the filename says. If a file starts with the bytes 0A, it is a PCX file.
Formats that use the 0A signature
These file types in our database carry this signature:
How to check a file's signature
You can read the first bytes of any file yourself. The magic bytes are shown in hex, the same way this page lists them.
Linux & macOS
- xxd -l 16 example.pcx
- hexdump -C -n 16 example.pcx
- file example.pcx
Windows (PowerShell)
- Format-Hex -Path example.pcx -Count 16
Python
- open("example.pcx","rb").read(1).hex()
In your browser
- Drop the file into the WhatFileType identifier, which reads the signature without uploading it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the PCX file signature?
PCX files start with the hex bytes 0A. This magic number identifies the format regardless of the file's name or extension.
How do I check a file's magic number?
Open the file in a hex editor, or run a command such as xxd -l 16 example.pcx on Linux or macOS, or Format-Hex -Path example.pcx -Count 16 in Windows PowerShell, and read the first bytes.
Can a file fake the PCX signature?
Renaming a file does not change its bytes, so the extension can lie but the signature usually cannot. A genuine PCX file has these exact bytes; a file with the wrong bytes is not really PCX, whatever its name says.