FIG to XPM Converter

Online FIG to XPM — sharp image output fast

Choose Files

Drop files here. 1 GB maximum file size or Sign Up

Precise Rendering

FIG elements translate to XPM output carefully — shapes, lines, and text objects stay true to the original.

Any Modern Browser

Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — the converter works in all of them. No browser-specific dependencies.

Cross-Platform Access

The converter works on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android — any browser, any device, anywhere you are.

How to convert FIG to XPM

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

Choose xpm or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

Let the file convert and you can download your xpm file right afterwards

About formats

FIG is the native file format of Xfig, a free vector graphics editor for the X Window System, originally written by Supoj Sutanthavibul at the University of Texas at Austin in 1985. The format uses a plain-text structure where each graphic object is described on one or more lines with numeric parameters specifying object type, coordinates, line properties, fill attributes, and depth ordering. FIG supports compound objects (groups), polylines, polygons, splines, arcs, ellipses, text strings, and imported bitmaps, each with configurable colors, line styles, arrow heads, and area fills. Files begin with a header line declaring the format version (currently 3.2), followed by a resolution specification and the object definitions. One advantage is exceptional simplicity — the entirely text-based format is trivially parsed, generated, and manipulated by scripts, making FIG popular as an intermediate format in automated diagram generation pipelines. The rich ecosystem of conversion tools is another strength: fig2dev exports FIG files to dozens of output formats including EPS, PDF, SVG, LaTeX picture environments, PSTricks, and TikZ. This made Xfig and FIG especially popular in academic and scientific communities, where authors generate publication-quality figures that integrate seamlessly with LaTeX documents. While graphical tools have evolved since the 1980s, FIG remains in use among researchers who value its scriptability, LaTeX integration, and well-documented format stability.

Developer: Supoj Sutanthavibul

Initial release: 1985

XPM (X PixMap) is a color image format for the X Window System, developed by Arnaud Le Hors at GROUPE BULL beginning in 1989 as the color successor to the monochrome XBM format. Like XBM, XPM files are valid C source code — each file defines the image as a static array of character strings, where the header strings specify width, height, number of colors, and characters per pixel, the color definition strings map character codes to color values (supporting X11 color names, hexadecimal RGB, and symbolic color types like 'background' and 'foreground'), and the pixel strings encode each row as a sequence of character codes that index the color palette. This ASCII art representation makes XPM images human-readable: one can often see the image content directly in the text of the source file. The format went through three revisions: XPM1 (1989, compatible with X10), XPM2 (simplified syntax), and XPM3 (1991, the current version with the static char* syntax and extended color specification). XPM was the standard format for X Window application icons, splash screens, pixmap buttons, and themed UI elements throughout the 1990s and 2000s. One advantage is the combined benefits of being a valid C source file and a color image: XPM files can be compiled into applications, edited in any text editor, processed by text tools, and version-controlled, while supporting up to 256 colors with transparency (using the 'None' color keyword). The X11 ecosystem's reliance on XPM ensures broad tool support. XPM files are handled by all X11 toolkits, ImageMagick, GIMP, and web browsers (legacy support).

Developer: Arnaud Le Hors / GROUPE BULL

Initial release: 1989

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert FIG to XPM?

Xfig diagrams in FIG format are invisible to most software. Converting to XPM turns them into universally displayable images.

What programs open XPM files?

You can open XPM files with X Window System applications, GIMP, and Linux desktop environments.

Can I batch convert multiple FIG files to XPM?

Absolutely. Add several FIG files at once and convert them all to XPM in a single batch — saves time on bulk tasks.

Is my FIG file safe during conversion?

Uploaded FIG files are deleted immediately after conversion. XPM output files are removed from servers within 24 hours for your privacy.

Is there an API for FIG to XPM conversion?

Convertio offers a developer API for automated conversions. Check the API documentation for integration details.

Does converting FIG to XPM preserve quality?

Convertio optimizes the conversion to retain as much quality as possible. The output closely matches your original FIG diagram.

Related Conversions

FIG to JPG

FIG to PDF

FIG to PNG

FIG to EPS

FIG to SVG

FIG to JPEG

FIG to BMP

FIG to PSD

FIG to DOC

FIG to GIF

FIG to DXF

FIG to DOCX

FIG to TIFF

FIG to AI

FIG to EMF

FIG to HTML

FIG to ODT

FIG to WMF

FIG to PCX

FIG to SGI

FIG to SK

FIG to OTB

FIG to DOT

FIG to RGB

FIG to PS

FIG to CGM

FIG to SK1

FIG to PLT

FIG to JP2

FIG to WBMP

FIG to TGA

FIG to ICO

FIG to CUR

FIG to PBM

FIG to PGM

FIG to PPM

FIG to WEBP

FIG to EXR

FIG to FAX

FIG to FTS

FIG to G3

FIG to HDR

FIG to HRZ

FIG to IPL

FIG to MAP

FIG to MNG

FIG to MTV

FIG to PAL

FIG to PALM

FIG to PAM

FIG to PCD

FIG to PCT

FIG to PDB

FIG to PFM

FIG to PICON

FIG to PICT

FIG to PNM

FIG to RAS

FIG to RGBA

FIG to RGBO

Specific converters

PNG to XPM

DNG to XPM

JPG to XPM

JPEG to XPM

BMP to XPM

ICO to XPM

SVG to XPM

WEBP to XPM

GIF to XPM

PDF to XPM

XCF to XPM

DOCX to XPM

TXT to XPM

HTML to XPM

PSD to XPM

DOC to XPM

XPS to XPM

AVIF to XPM

JFIF to XPM

ODT to XPM

ARW to XPM

TGA to XPM

XLSX to XPM

EPS to XPM

TTF to XPM

TIFF to XPM

RGB to XPM

AI to XPM

CR2 to XPM

EXR to XPM