PCT to PICON Converter

Turn PCT images into PICON format — free online tool

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Convertio removes uploaded PCT files right after processing and purges PICON results within 24 hours. Your data does not linger on servers.

Fast Results

PCT to PICON conversion typically finishes in seconds. Cloud-based processing delivers quick turnaround even for detailed images.

Server-Side Speed

Conversion happens on remote servers, so your computer or phone does not slow down. Upload PCT, get PICON — all handled in the cloud.

How to convert PCT to PICON

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

PCT (also known as PICT) is a metafile graphics format originally developed by Apple Computer and introduced alongside the original Macintosh in January 1984. PCT files can contain both vector drawing commands and raster bitmap data, encoded as a sequence of QuickDraw drawing operations — the same graphics primitives used by the Macintosh operating system for all on-screen rendering. The format evolved through two major versions: PICT 1, which recorded basic QuickDraw operations (lines, rectangles, ovals, text, 1-bit bitmaps) in a compact format suitable for the original Macintosh's limited memory, and PICT 2, introduced with Color QuickDraw in 1987, which extended the format to support 24-bit color, multiple color spaces, and embedded JPEG-compressed data. PCT files begin with a 512-byte header (originally used for resource fork information), followed by the picture size, bounding rectangle, and a sequence of opcodes that define the drawing operations. During the Macintosh's commercial ascendancy, PICT was the universal graphics interchange format on Mac OS — the system clipboard used PICT for all graphical copy/paste operations, and most Mac applications could import and export the format. One advantage is the hybrid vector/raster nature: PCT files from the QuickDraw era preserve both scalable drawing commands and pixel data in a single format, enabling resolution-independent output for the vector portions. PICT's historical significance as the native Mac graphics format throughout the classic Mac OS era (1984-2001) provides another dimension. PCT files remain readable by Preview on macOS, ImageMagick, XnView, LibreOffice, and GIMP.
Developer: Apple Computer
Initial release: 1984
PICON (Personal Icon) is a small-format image type used in the X Window System ecosystem, developed by Steve Kinzler at Indiana University around 1990 as part of the picons (personal icons) database project. Picons are small, typically 48x48 pixel, color images used as visual identifiers for people, organizations, domains, and Usenet newsgroups in Unix mail readers, news readers, and other communication tools. The picon format is essentially an XPM (X PixMap) image stored with specific naming conventions and directory structures that allow software to look up the appropriate icon based on email address, domain name, or newsgroup name. The picons database organized thousands of these small images in a hierarchical directory structure keyed by domain name components (e.g., faces/com/example/user.xpm), enabling mail clients like exmstrstrstr and faces to automatically display a sender's photo or organizational logo alongside their messages. The system predated the modern concept of contact photos and avatars by more than a decade. One advantage is the system's pioneering role in visual identity for electronic communication: picons introduced the idea that email and Usenet messages should display a visual representation of the sender — a concept that eventually became standard in every modern email client, messaging app, and social media platform. The XPM-based format ensures that picons are displayable on any system with X Window libraries. Picon images are supported by ImageMagick, GIMP, and X Window display utilities, and the historical picons database remains archived online at Indiana University.
Developer: Steve Kinzler
Initial release: 1990

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert PCT to PICON?

PCT was standard on classic Mac OS but is now obsolete. Converting to PICON brings those images into a format modern editors handle natively.

What can I use to view PICON files?

X Window System applications, GIMP, and Unix desktop environments that use personal icon format.

Is the original resolution preserved?

Yes — the pixel dimensions of your PCT image are maintained in the PICON output. No downscaling or cropping happens during conversion.

Is the conversion fast?

Yes — PCT to PICON conversion on Convertio runs on cloud servers and completes in seconds for typical image files.

Do I need to pay for this converter?

Basic PCT to PICON conversions are free. Convertio offers premium tiers for heavier workloads with faster processing and priority support.

What platforms are supported?

Any device with a web browser — Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and Chrome OS. No software installation is needed for the conversion.