PCX to WBMP Converter

Convert PCX images to WBMP format — no install needed

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No Installation

Everything happens in the browser. Open Convertio, upload your PCX file, and download the WBMP result — zero setup required.

Quality Preserved

The conversion transfers all pixel data from PCX to WBMP faithfully. No detail is lost during the format change.

Server-Side Speed

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

How to convert PCX to WBMP

1

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

2

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

3

Let the file convert and you can download your wbmp 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
WBMP (Wireless Bitmap) is a monochrome (1-bit, black and white) image format defined as part of the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) specification, developed by the WAP Forum (later consolidated into the Open Mobile Alliance) around 1998. The format was designed for the extremely constrained mobile devices of the late 1990s and early 2000s — phones with small monochrome screens, minimal processing power, and narrow bandwidth GSM data connections. WBMP uses the simplest possible encoding: a type identifier byte (always 0 for the only defined type), width and height encoded as multi-byte integers using a variable-length scheme, and the raw pixel data where each bit represents one pixel (0 for white, 1 for black) packed eight per byte. There is no compression, no metadata, and no color — the format is purely a minimal container for delivering small monochrome graphics to WAP-era mobile browsers. One advantage was extreme efficiency on constrained devices — WBMP images could be decoded with virtually zero CPU overhead and minimal memory, critical on early mobile hardware running at single-digit megahertz clock speeds. The tiny file sizes are another strength: a typical WBMP icon occupied just a few hundred bytes, practical for transfer over 9.6 kbps GSM data channels. While the WAP ecosystem has been entirely superseded by modern mobile web browsers capable of rendering full-color JPEG, PNG, and WebP images, WBMP files remain encountered in archived mobile content from that transitional era.
Developer: WAP Forum
Initial release: 1998

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert PCX to WBMP?

Few modern applications handle PCX natively. Converting to WBMP ensures your legacy image data works in today's editors, viewers, and web platforms.

What software opens WBMP?

Legacy mobile browsers, GIMP, IrfanView, XnView, and some mobile development tools for testing WAP-era content.

Are colors preserved during conversion?

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

Is PCX to WBMP conversion free?

Standard conversions are free on Convertio. Premium plans provide additional benefits for users who need to process larger volumes regularly.

Does this work on my phone?

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

Where can I upload PCX files from?

You can upload from your local device, Google Drive, Dropbox, or paste a direct URL. Convertio pulls the PCX file from any of these sources.