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PICON to XPS Converter

Convert PICON images to XPS document format online

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No Install Required

The entire PICON to XPS conversion happens in your browser. No plugins, no desktop apps — just upload, convert, and download.

Document Ready

Your PICON image is embedded into a XPS document — ready for sharing, printing, or archiving in a universally accepted format.

Cloud Conversion

All PICON to XPS processing runs on Convertio servers — your device stays fast and free while the conversion happens in the cloud.

How to convert PICON 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

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
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

What is the reason to convert PICON to XPS?

PICON images have limited reach. Placing them in a XPS (fixed-layout document format by Microsoft) ensures they can be opened by virtually anyone.

How do I open a XPS file?

Software that handles XPS includes XPS Viewer (Windows), Evince (Linux), Okular — giving you options on every major operating system.

Are my uploaded files kept private?

Completely. Convertio removes uploaded PICON files right after conversion, and the XPS output is automatically deleted within 24 hours.

How long does PICON to XPS conversion take?

Most PICON to XPS conversions complete within a few seconds. The lightweight nature of PICON images means fast processing times.

Is PICON to XPS conversion free?

Standard conversions are available for free on Convertio. Larger volumes or higher usage may benefit from a premium plan for additional capacity.

Does this converter work on mobile devices?

Yes — Convertio runs entirely in the browser. You can convert PICON to XPS on phones, tablets, or desktops without installing anything.