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PCX to RTF Converter

Turn PCX images into RTF documents for free online

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Simple Workflow

Upload your PCX file, select RTF, and download the result. Three steps — no learning curve, no complicated menus to navigate.

Any Device Works

Run the PCX to RTF converter from a desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone — all you need is a web browser and internet access.

Cloud-Powered

The PCX to RTF conversion runs on cloud servers — your device stays unburdened while the processing happens remotely and efficiently.

How to convert PCX to RTF

1

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

2

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

3

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

About formats

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
RTF (Rich Text Format) is a document interchange format developed by Microsoft and first published in 1987 with Word 3.0. The format encodes document content and formatting as plain ASCII text using control words (backslash-prefixed commands) and groups (curly-brace-delimited sections) that describe fonts, character formatting, paragraph layout, tables, images, and page setup. Because RTF is fundamentally a text format with no binary components, documents pass cleanly through any text channel — email systems, clipboard operations, and cross-platform transfers — without corruption. Microsoft designed RTF explicitly as a cross-application and cross-platform exchange format, and it achieved broad adoption: virtually every word processor, text editor, and document tool on every operating system has supported RTF reading and writing for decades. One advantage is exceptional cross-platform compatibility — an RTF document created on any application renders with consistent formatting on any other, making it the most reliable format for text exchange between incompatible systems. The text-based structure provides another benefit: RTF files resist corruption, are trivially generated by programs (requiring only string concatenation), and can be debugged by reading the raw markup in a text editor. While RTF lacks modern features like tracked changes and advanced layout controls, and Microsoft declared the specification frozen at version 1.9.1 in 2008, the format persists as a dependable interchange option where DOCX compatibility cannot be assumed.
Developer: Microsoft
Initial release: 1987

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert PCX to RTF?

PCX dates back to early PC graphics. Converting to RTF brings your image into a format that modern devices and applications recognize without issue.

How do I open a RTF file?

Microsoft Word, LibreOffice Writer, Google Docs, TextEdit on macOS, WordPad on Windows, and nearly any word processor.

Is it safe to upload PCX files?

Convertio deletes uploaded files immediately after conversion. Converted output is removed from servers within 24 hours for your privacy.

Does this work on my phone?

Yes — the Convertio converter runs in any mobile browser. Upload your PCX file, pick RTF, and download the result directly on your phone.

Are colors preserved during conversion?

Color data from the PCX file is mapped accurately into RTF. The conversion maintains the original color profile as closely as the target format allows.

Do I need to install anything?

No — the entire conversion runs in your web browser. There is nothing to download or install on your computer or phone to convert PCX to RTF.