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PCX to XPS Converter

Convert PCX to XPS — free online document tool

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Privacy Protected

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

Quick Turnaround

Upload and convert PCX to XPS in moments. Server-side processing keeps the workflow fast regardless of your device's capabilities.

Format Bridge

Bridge the gap between PCX and modern formats. The converter handles the technical translation so you get a clean XPS file.

How to convert PCX to XPS

1

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

2

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

3

Let the file convert and you can download your xps 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
XPS (XML Paper Specification) is a fixed-layout document format developed by Microsoft, first released with Windows Vista and .NET Framework 3.0 in November 2006. Conceived as Microsoft's alternative to Adobe's PDF, XPS uses XML-based page description markup within a ZIP-based Open Packaging Conventions container. Each page is described as a FixedPage element containing paths (vector shapes with fill and stroke), glyphs (text positioned at precise coordinates), images, and canvas groupings — all specified with exact coordinates for pixel-precise rendering. The format embeds all required resources: fonts are subset and included, images are stored within the package, and the complete rendering specification travels with the document. Windows includes the XPS Document Writer as a virtual printer, allowing any application to generate XPS output through the standard print dialog. One advantage is exact visual fidelity — XPS documents render identically on any compliant viewer because every element is positioned absolutely, with no interpretation variance. Native Windows integration is another strength: XPS viewing, creation, and printing are built into Windows without additional software, and the .NET Framework provides APIs for programmatic XPS generation. While XPS did not achieve the ubiquity of PDF as a universal document format, it remains used in Windows printing infrastructure, enterprise document workflows, and scenarios where the Windows platform provides native end-to-end support.
Developer: Microsoft
Initial release: November 2006

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert PCX to XPS?

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

Which apps support XPS format?

Windows XPS Viewer (built-in), Microsoft Edge, Pagemark XpsViewer, and LibreOffice (limited).

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.

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 XPS.

Will the XPS look like my original image?

The XPS document embeds the image from the PCX file with its original dimensions and quality — the visual appearance is preserved.

Is the conversion fast?

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