ICO to PCX Converter

Convert ICO images to PCX format online for free

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Beyond Icons

Extract the artwork from ICO containers and convert to PCX — making your icon imagery usable in design projects, documents, and web content.

Instant Conversion

The ICO to PCX conversion engine processes files quickly — expect your download to be ready in just a few seconds after uploading.

Browser-Based Tool

The entire ICO to PCX conversion runs in your browser. Compatible with Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — on desktop and mobile.

How to convert ICO to PCX

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

ICO is the icon file format for Microsoft Windows, introduced with Windows 1.0 in 1985 and serving as the standard container for application icons, file type icons, and shortcut icons throughout the Windows ecosystem. An ICO file bundles multiple image variants within a single container — each at different sizes (16x16, 32x32, 48x48, 256x256, and others) and color depths (4-bit, 8-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit with alpha) — allowing Windows to select the most appropriate image for each display context, from tiny taskbar buttons to large desktop icons. The container structure consists of an ICONDIR header, an array of ICONDIRENTRY records describing each variant, and the image data itself. Since Windows Vista, ICO files support embedded PNG-compressed images for the larger sizes (typically 256x256), dramatically reducing file size while maintaining quality with full alpha transparency. One advantage is automatic size adaptation — Windows pulls the optimal resolution from the ICO container for each context (Explorer list view, desktop tile, Alt-Tab preview), ensuring crisp display without the application managing separate image files. The format's operating system-level integration is another core strength: ICO files serve as the identity mechanism for executables, file associations, and shortcuts across all Windows versions, and web browsers use favicon.ico for website identity in tabs and bookmarks. ICO creation and editing is supported by image editors like GIMP, Inkscape, and dedicated icon tools, and the format remains essential for Windows application development.
Developer: Microsoft
Initial release: 1985
PCX (PiCture eXchange) is a raster image format created by ZSoft Corporation in 1985 as the native format of their PC Paintbrush application, one of the first painting programs for IBM PC compatibles. The format uses a simple run-length encoding (RLE) compression scheme that works by replacing consecutive identical pixel values with a count-value pair, achieving modest compression on images with large areas of uniform color. A PCX file consists of a 128-byte header (specifying dimensions, color depth, palette information, DPI, and encoding method), the RLE-compressed pixel data organized in scan-line order, and an optional 256-color palette appended after the image data. The format evolved through several versions supporting increasing color depths: 1-bit monochrome, 4-bit (16 colors), 8-bit (256 colors), and 24-bit true color using multiple color planes. PCX became one of the most popular image formats during the DOS era, widely supported by paint programs, word processors, desktop publishers, and early games throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. One advantage was broad DOS-era software compatibility — PCX served as a practical interchange format when competing programs used proprietary raster formats. The simplicity of RLE decoding is another strength, requiring minimal CPU and memory resources ideal for the hardware of that period. While PNG, JPEG, and other modern formats have replaced PCX in contemporary use, the format remains encountered in legacy archives and retro computing contexts.
Developer: ZSoft Corporation
Initial release: 1985

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert ICO to PCX?

PCX produces a legacy bitmap from your icon — compatible with older DOS and Windows applications that expect PiCture eXchange format input.

What programs open PCX files?

Common options include IrfanView, XnView, GIMP, Photoshop. The format has good support across major operating systems.

Does this work on mobile devices?

Yes — the ICO to PCX converter works in any mobile browser on iOS and Android. No app installation is needed — just open convertio.tools and upload your file.

Can I convert ICO to PCX for free?

Yes — Convertio offers free ICO to PCX conversion. For professional volumes and larger files, premium plans provide expanded limits and priority processing.

Does ICO to PCX keep transparency?

If PCX supports transparency (like PNG or WEBP), the alpha channel from your ICO is preserved. Formats without transparency support fill with a solid background.

Is the conversion process fast?

ICO to PCX conversion usually finishes in a few seconds. Larger files may take slightly longer, but the cloud-based processing keeps things efficient.

ICO to PCX Quality Rating

5.0 (1 votes)
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